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A Geometric Approach to the Landauer-B\"uttiker Formula

Mathematical Physics 2014-02-07 v1 Statistical Mechanics math.MP Quantum Physics

Abstract

We consider an ideal Fermi gas confined to a geometric structure consisting of a central region -- the sample -- connected to several infinitely extended ends -- the reservoirs. Under physically reasonable assumptions on the propagation properties of the one-particle dynamics within these reservoirs, we show that the state of the Fermi gas relaxes to a steady state. We compute the expected value of various current observables in this steady state and express the result in terms of scattering data, thus obtaining a geometric version of the celebrated Landauer-B\"uttiker formula.

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Cite

@article{arxiv.1402.1480,
  title  = {A Geometric Approach to the Landauer-B\"uttiker Formula},
  author = {R. Ben Sâad and C. -A. Pillet},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1402.1480},
  year   = {2014}
}