Shot noise measurements in NS junctions and the semiclassical theory

We present a new analysis of shot noise measurements in normal metal-superconductor (NS) junctions [X. Jehl et al., Nature 405, 50 (2000)], based on a recent semiclassical theory. The first calculations at zero temperature assuming quantum coherence predicted shot noise in NS contacts to be doubled with respect to normal contacts. The semiclassical approach gives the first opportunity to compare data and theory quantitatively at finite voltage and temperature. The doubling of shot noise is predicted up to the superconducting gap, as already observed, confirming that phase coherence is not necessary. An excellent agreement is also found above the gap where the noise follows the normal case.Comment: 2 pages, revtex, 2 eps figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Distribution of local density of states in disordered metallic samples: logarithmically normal asymptotics

Asymptotical behavior of the distribution function of local density of states (LDOS) in disordered metallic samples is studied with making use of the supersymmetric $\sigma$--model approach, in combination with the saddle--point method. The LDOS distribution is found to have the logarithmically normal asymptotics for quasi--1D and 2D sample geometry. In the case of a quasi--1D sample, the result is confirmed by the exact solution. In 2D case a perfect agreement with an earlier renormalization group calculation is found. In 3D the found asymptotics is of somewhat different type: P(\rho)\sim \exp(-\mbox{const}\,|\ln^3\rho|).Comment: REVTEX, 14 pages, no figure

Relaxation process in a regime of quantum chaos

We show that the quantum relaxation process in a classically chaotic open dynamical system is characterized by a quantum relaxation time scale t_q. This scale is much shorter than the Heisenberg time and much larger than the Ehrenfest time: t_q ~ g^alpha where g is the conductance of the system and the exponent alpha is close to 1/2. As a result, quantum and classical decay probabilities remain close up to values P ~ exp(-sqrt(g)) similarly to the case of open disordered systems.Comment: revtex, 5 pages, 4 figures discussion of the relations between time scale t_q and weak localization correction and between dynamical and disordered systems is adde

The leading Ruelle resonances of chaotic maps

The leading Ruelle resonances of typical chaotic maps, the perturbed cat map and the standard map, are calculated by variation. It is found that, excluding the resonance associated with the invariant density, the next subleading resonances are, approximately, the roots of the equation $z^4=\gamma$, where $\gamma$ is a positive number which characterizes the amount of stochasticity of the map. The results are verified by numerical computations, and the implications to the form factor of the corresponding quantum maps are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures included. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Critical generalized inverse participation ratio distributions

The system size dependence of the fluctuations in generalized inverse participation ratios (IPR's) $I_{\alpha}(q)$ at criticality is investigated numerically. The variances of the IPR logarithms are found to be scale-invariant at the macroscopic limit. The finite size corrections to the variances decay algebraically with nontrivial exponents, which depend on the Hamiltonian symmetry and the dimensionality. The large-$q$ dependence of the asymptotic values of the variances behaves as $q^2$ according to theoretical estimates. These results ensure the self-averaging of the corresponding generalized dimensions.Comment: RevTex4, 5 pages, 4 .eps figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

Spectral Statistics: From Disordered to Chaotic Systems

The relation between disordered and chaotic systems is investigated. It is obtained by identifying the diffusion operator of the disordered systems with the Perron-Frobenius operator in the general case. This association enables us to extend results obtained in the diffusive regime to general chaotic systems. In particular, the two--point level density correlator and the structure factor for general chaotic systems are calculated and characterized. The behavior of the structure factor around the Heisenberg time is quantitatively described in terms of short periodic orbits.Comment: uuencoded file with 1 eps figure, 4 page

Positive cross-correlations induced by ferromagnetic contacts

Due to the Fermionic nature of carriers, correlations between electric currents flowing through two different contacts attached to a conductor present a negative sign. Possibility for positive cross-correlations has been demonstrated in hybrid normal/superconductor structures under certain conditions. In this paper we show that positive cross-correlations can be induced, if not already present, in such structures by employing ferromagnetic leads with magnetizations aligned anti-parallel to each other. We consider three-terminal hybrid structures and calculate the mean-square correlations of current fluctuations as a function of the bias voltage at finite temperature.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures; accepted version by PRB, figures replace

Current correlations and quantum localization in 2D disordered systems with broken time-reversal invariance

We study long-range correlations of equilibrium current densities in a two-dimensional mesoscopic system with the time reversal invariance broken by a random or homogeneous magnetic field. Our result is universal, i.e. it does not depend on the type (random potential or random magnetic field) or correlation length of disorder. This contradicts recent sigma-model calculations of Taras-Semchuk and Efetov (TS&E) for the current correlation function, as well as for the renormalization of the conductivity. We show explicitly that the new term in the sigma-model derived by TS&E and claimed to lead to delocalization does not exist. The error in the derivation of TS&E is traced to an incorrect ultraviolet regularization procedure violating current conservation and gauge invariance.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Shot Noise at High Temperatures

We consider the possibility of measuring non-equilibrium properties of the current correlation functions at high temperatures (and small bias). Through the example of the third cumulant of the current (${\cal{S}}_3$) we demonstrate that odd order correlation functions represent non-equilibrium physics even at small external bias and high temperatures. We calculate ${\cal{S}}_3=y(eV/T) e^2 I$ for a quasi-one-dimensional diffusive constriction. We calculate the scaling function $y$ in two regimes: when the scattering processes are purely elastic and when the inelastic electron-electron scattering is strong. In both cases we find that $y$ interpolates between two constants. In the low (high) temperature limit $y$ is strongly (weakly) enhanced (suppressed) by the electron-electron scattering.Comment: 11 pages 4 fig. submitted to Phys. Rev.

Superconductive proximity effect in interacting disordered conductors

We present a general theory of the superconductive proximity effect in disordered normal--superconducting (N-S) structures, based on the recently developed Keldysh action approach. In the case of the absence of interaction in the normal conductor we reproduce known results for the Andreev conductance G_A at arbitrary relation between the interface resistance R_T and the diffusive resistance R_D. In two-dimensional N-S systems, electron-electron interaction in the Cooper channel of normal conductor is shown to strongly affect the value of G_A as well as its dependence on temperature, voltage and magnetic field. In particular, an unusual maximum of G_A as a function of temperature and/or magnetic field is predicted for some range of parameters R_D and R_T. The Keldysh action approach makes it possible to calculate the full statistics of charge transfer in such structures. As an application of this method, we calculate the noise power of an N-S contact as a function of voltage, temperature, magnetic field and frequency for arbitrary Cooper repulsion in the normal metal and arbitrary values of the ratio R_D/R_T.Comment: RevTeX, 28 pages, 18 PostScript figures; added and updated reference