Abstract
We investigate the interplay between amplitude and square-gradient scattering from the rough surfaces in multimode waveguides (conducting quantum wires). The main result is that for any (even small in height) roughness the square-gradient terms in the expression for the wave-scattering length (electron mean free path) are dominant, provided the correlation length of the surface disorder is small enough. This important effect is missed in existing studies of the surface scattering.
- Received 27 March 2005
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.72.041403
©2005 American Physical Society