Abstract
Aharonov-Bohm mesoscopic solid-state interferometers yield a conductance which contains a term , where relates to the magnetic flux. Experiments with a quantum dot on one of the interfering paths aim to relate to the dot’s intrinsic Friedel transmission phase . For closed systems, which conserve the electron current (unitarity), the Onsager relation requires that or . For open systems, we show that in general depends on the details of the broken unitarity. Although it gives information on the resonances of the dot, is generally not equal to . A direct relation between and requires specific ways of opening the system, which are discussed.
- Received 3 August 2001
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.166801
©2002 American Physical Society