Weak localization effect on thermomagnetic phenomena

TL;DR

This paper extends the quantum transport equation to analyze weak localization effects on galvanomagnetic and thermomagnetic phenomena, offering advantages over traditional methods and providing new insights into the Nernst effect.

Contribution

The paper introduces an extended quantum transport equation approach to study weak localization effects on thermomagnetic phenomena, improving upon linear response methods.

Findings

Reproduces known results for conductivity, Hall, and thermoelectric effects.

Analyzes weak localization correction to the Nernst coefficient.

Demonstrates advantages of QTE over LRM in thermomagnetic calculations.

Abstract

The quantum transport equation (QTE) is extended to study weak localization (WL) effects on galvanomagnetic and thermomagnetic phenomena. QTE has many advantages over the linear response method (LRM): (i) particle-hole asymmetry which is necessary for the Hall effect is taken into account by the nonequilibrium distribution function, while LRM requires expansion near the Fermi surface, (ii) when calculating response to the temperature gradient, the problem of WL correction to the heat current operator is avoided, (iii) magnetic field is directly introduced to QTE, while the LRM deals with the vector potential and and special attention should be paid to maintain gauge invariance, e.g. when calculating the Nernst effect the heat current operator should be modified to include the external magnetic field. We reproduce in a very compact form known results for the conductivity, the Hall and the thermoelectric effects and then we study our main problem, WL correction to the Nernst coefficient (transverse thermopower).