Abstract:
We derive a formula for the quantum corrections to the electrical current for a metal out of equilibrium. In the limit of linear current-voltage characteristics our formula reproduces the well known Altshuler-Aronov correction to the conductivity of a disordered metal. The current formula is obtained by a direct diagrammatic approach, and is shown to agree with what is obtained within the Keldysh formulation of the non-linear sigma model. As an application we calculate the current of a mesoscopic wire. We find a current-voltage characteristics that scales with eV/kT, and calculate the different scaling curves for a wire in the hot-electron regime and in the regime of full non-equilibrium.
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Received 13 June 2001
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Schwab, P., Raimondi, R. Coherent transport in disordered metals out of equilibrium. Eur. Phys. J. B 24, 525–540 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10051-001-8706-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10051-001-8706-1