Geometry-dependent dephasing in small metallic wires.
Temperature dependent weak localization is measured in metallic nanowires in a previously unexplored size regime down to width w = 5 nm. The dephasing time, tau(phi), shows a low temperature T dependence close to quasi-1D theoretical expectations (tau(phi) approximately T(-2/3)) in the narrowest wires, but exhibits a relative saturation as T-->0 for wide samples of the same material, as observed previously. As only sample geometry is varied to exhibit both suppression and divergence of tau(phi), this finding provides a new constraint on models of dephasing phenomena.
Natelson
D
D
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974, USA.
Willett
R L
RL
West
K W
KW
Pfeiffer
L N
LN