English

Quantum transport in mesoscopic $^3$He films: experimental study of the interference of bulk and boundary scattering

Materials Science 2015-05-20 v2 Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Abstract

We discuss the mass transport of a degenerate Fermi liquid 3^3He film over a rough surface, and the film momentum relaxation time, in the framework of theoretical predictions. In the mesoscopic r\'egime, the anomalous temperature dependence of the relaxation time is explained in terms of the interference between elastic boundary scattering and inelastic quasiparticle-quasiparticle scattering within the film. We exploit a quasiclassical treatment of quantum size effects in the film in which the surface roughness, whose power spectrum is experimentally determined, is mapped into an effective disorder potential within a film of uniform thickness. Confirmation is provided by the introduction of elastic scattering centres within the film. We model further studies on 3^3He confined in nanofluidic sample chambers with lithographically defined surface roughness. The improved understanding of surface roughness scattering may impact on enhancing the conductivity in thin metallic films.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1010.5993,
  title  = {Quantum transport in mesoscopic $^3$He films: experimental study of the interference of bulk and boundary scattering},
  author = {P. Sharma and A. Córcoles and R. G. Bennett and J. M. Parpia and B. Cowan and A. Casey and J. Saunders},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1010.5993},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

5 pages, 3 figures