Abstract
A variation in the saturated phase-breaking time in a ballistic quantum dot is found to occur as the size is varied. This variation differs from that observed earlier, in which a transition from quasi-two-dimensional to zero-dimensional behavior was thought to occur. Instead, these results suggest that the saturated phase-breaking rate is governed by a change in the total number of electrons within the dot. At higher temperatures, the phase breaking is governed by coupling to the quantum wire leads, and may show the variation expected for a one-dimensional wire due to the electron-electron interaction.
- Received 6 November 1998
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.4687
©1999 American Physical Society