Conductance of Two-Dimensional Imperfect Conductors: Does the Elastic Scattering Preclude from Localization at T=0?

TL;DR

This paper presents a method to calculate the zero-temperature conductance of disordered 2D conductors, showing that multiple conducting modes prevent localization regardless of wire length, challenging traditional scaling theory.

Contribution

It introduces an exact mode-based approach for quantum conductance calculation that accounts for interference and dephasing effects in disordered 2D systems.

Findings

Multiple conducting modes inhibit localization at T=0.

Inter- and intra-mode scattering have distinct roles in conductance.

Localization is unlikely in multi-mode wires regardless of length.

Abstract

The method is proposed adapted for calculating the T=0 conductance of arbitrarily stretched disordered conducting strips in terms of the Kubo theory. The 2D scattering problem is solved through exact one-dimensionalization in mode representation (instead of quasiclassical) that enables to allow reasonably for quantum interference of scattered waves as well as for the effect of dephasing. The inter- and intra-mode scattering channels are shown to play quite different role, the former being responsible for diffusive smearing of the quantum levels whereas the latter for the interference effects. No pronounced localization should reveal itself in wires with more then one conducting mode, irrespective of their length, contrary to anticipations of the scaling theory.