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Coherent electron flow from a double slit with slit widths in the quantum conductance regime

Zhang, Lebo and Xu, Hongqi LU (2006) In Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 18(49). p.11103-11119
Abstract
We report on a theoretical study of the quantum interference behaviour of electron flow from a double-slit device made from a semiconductor two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system with the slit widths in the quantum conductance regime. The device consists of a double slit and a single slit in a configuration where the single slit is placed on the source side of the double slit. The wavefunctions of electrons passing through the double-slit structure are calculated on the basis of a scattering matrix method. It is found that including a single slit between the double slit and the source contact in the device is essential for the observation of interference fringes of electron flow in a double-slit experiment with a 2DEG. When only the... (More)
We report on a theoretical study of the quantum interference behaviour of electron flow from a double-slit device made from a semiconductor two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system with the slit widths in the quantum conductance regime. The device consists of a double slit and a single slit in a configuration where the single slit is placed on the source side of the double slit. The wavefunctions of electrons passing through the double-slit structure are calculated on the basis of a scattering matrix method. It is found that including a single slit between the double slit and the source contact in the device is essential for the observation of interference fringes of electron flow in a double-slit experiment with a 2DEG. When only the lowest mode is open for conduction in the individual slits, the interference patterns of electron flow from the double slit resemble the results of a conventional Young's double-slit experiment well. When several modes are open for conduction in the individual slits, the interference patterns of electron flow from the double slit are dominated by the interference of electrons flowing through the highest index open modes in the slits. As a result of the existence of multiple-lobe structures in electron flow from these high index open modes, these interference patterns, in general, show rather complex structures. We also discuss the characteristics of interference patterns in the near-and far-field regimes and the dependence of the fringe spacing on the slit distance in the double slit. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter
volume
18
issue
49
pages
11103 - 11119
publisher
IOP Publishing
external identifiers
  • wos:000242651000010
  • scopus:33846119313
ISSN
1361-648X
DOI
10.1088/0953-8984/18/49/005
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0d0f816c-8632-40e8-8e24-1fc25a7c3a2a (old id 806192)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:12:56
date last changed
2022-01-29 19:59:05
@article{0d0f816c-8632-40e8-8e24-1fc25a7c3a2a,
  abstract     = {{We report on a theoretical study of the quantum interference behaviour of electron flow from a double-slit device made from a semiconductor two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system with the slit widths in the quantum conductance regime. The device consists of a double slit and a single slit in a configuration where the single slit is placed on the source side of the double slit. The wavefunctions of electrons passing through the double-slit structure are calculated on the basis of a scattering matrix method. It is found that including a single slit between the double slit and the source contact in the device is essential for the observation of interference fringes of electron flow in a double-slit experiment with a 2DEG. When only the lowest mode is open for conduction in the individual slits, the interference patterns of electron flow from the double slit resemble the results of a conventional Young's double-slit experiment well. When several modes are open for conduction in the individual slits, the interference patterns of electron flow from the double slit are dominated by the interference of electrons flowing through the highest index open modes in the slits. As a result of the existence of multiple-lobe structures in electron flow from these high index open modes, these interference patterns, in general, show rather complex structures. We also discuss the characteristics of interference patterns in the near-and far-field regimes and the dependence of the fringe spacing on the slit distance in the double slit.}},
  author       = {{Zhang, Lebo and Xu, Hongqi}},
  issn         = {{1361-648X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{49}},
  pages        = {{11103--11119}},
  publisher    = {{IOP Publishing}},
  series       = {{Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter}},
  title        = {{Coherent electron flow from a double slit with slit widths in the quantum conductance regime}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/18/49/005}},
  doi          = {{10.1088/0953-8984/18/49/005}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}