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Interactions in electronic Mach-Zehnder interferometers with copropagating edge channels
Luca Chirolli1, Fabio Taddei, Rosario Fazio
1NEST, Scuola Normale Superiore and Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR, I-56127 Pisa, Italy. luca.chirolli@icmm.csic.es
Physical Review Letters
|August 6, 2013
Summary
Coulomb interactions in quantum Hall Mach-Zehnder interferometers cause current saturation. This leads to negative differential conductance and enhanced/diverging visibility in interferometer measurements.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Electronics
Background:
- Mach-Zehnder interferometers utilize copropagating edge states in the integer quantum Hall effect.
- Coherent coupling of edge channels relies on a resonant mechanism vulnerable to inelastic processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Coulomb interactions in the finite bias response of these interferometers.
- To understand how interactions affect the interferometer current and conductance properties.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical study of Coulomb interactions within the Mach-Zehnder interferometer framework.
- Analysis of the interferometer's current response as a function of bias voltage.
Main Results:
- Coulomb interactions cause a saturation of the period-averaged interferometer current with increasing bias voltage.
- Observed unusual phenomena including negative differential conductance.
- Demonstrated enhancement of current visibility and nonbounded or diverging differential conductance visibility.
Conclusions:
- Coulomb interactions significantly alter the transport properties of quantum Hall interferometers.
- These interactions introduce unique electrical characteristics, impacting device performance and measurement interpretation.
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