Accession Number:

ADA370166

Title:

Quantum Noise in Mesoscopic Electron Transport

Descriptive Note:

Final rept.

Corporate Author:

STANFORD UNIV CA EDWARD L GINZTON LAB OF PHYSICS

Personal Author(s):

• Liu, Robert C.

Report Date:

1999-10-18

Pagination or Media Count:

9.0

Abstract:

Research in quantum electron optics is a new direction in semiconductor nanostructures which seeks to probe the fundamentals of quantum mechanics by merging concepts from quantum optics with the physics of mesoscopic devices. Our work in this area has included both theoretical and experimental efforts to model and demonstrate quantum optical phenomena for electrons. Our main effort has been to analyze and measure the noise properties of mesoscopic devices that might exhibit such effects. This is motivated not only by basic physics, but also by a desire to understand the limits placed on device noise performance by the quantum mechanics of electrons. Our main results include 1 a theoretical analysis of the transition from quantum partition noise to thermal noise in mesoscopic branching circuits as the degree of dissipation is increased, 2 the recovery of the full frequency-dependent Johnson-Nyquist equilibrium noise in this transition, 3 an experimental measurement of the partition noise of a quantum point contact, and 4 the first demonstration of a quantum statistical effect in the collision of electrons.

Descriptors:

• *ELECTRON TRANSPORT
• OPTICS
• STRUCTURES
• STATISTICS
• DISSIPATION
• SEMICONDUCTORS
• OPTICAL PHENOMENA
• QUANTUM ELECTRONICS
• NOISE
• OPTICAL CIRCUITS
• THERMAL RESISTANCE
• PARTICLE COLLISIONS
• ELECTRON OPTICS

Subject Categories:

• Nuclear Physics and Elementary Particle Physics
• Quantum Theory and Relativity

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE