Abstract
We derive an expression for the four-point conductance of a general quantum junction in terms of the density response function. Our formulation allows us to show that the four-point conductance of an interacting electronic system possessing either a geometrical constriction and/or an opaque barrier becomes identical to the macroscopically measurable two-point conductance. Within time-dependent density-functional theory the formulation leads to a direct identification of the functional form of the exchange-correlation kernel that is important for the conductance. We demonstrate the practical implementation of our formula for a metal-vacuum-metal interface.
- Received 10 May 2007
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.76.125433
©2007 American Physical Society