Universal saturation of electron dephasing in three-dimensional disordered metals

We have systematically investigated the low-temperature electron dephasing times $\tau_\phi$ in more than 40 three-dimensional polycrystalline impure metals with distinct material characteristics. In all cases, a saturation of the dephasing time is observed below about a (few) degree(s) Kelvin, depending on samples. The value of the saturated dephasing time $\tau_0$ [$\equiv \tau_\phi (T \to 0 {\rm K})$] falls basically in the range 0.005 to 0.5 ns for all samples. Particularly, we find that $\tau_0$ scales with the electron diffusion constant $D$ as $\tau_0 \sim D^{- \alpha}$, with $\alpha$ close to or slightly larger than 1, for over two decades of $D$ from about 0.1 to 10 cm$^2$/s. Our observation suggests that the saturation behavior of $\tau_\phi$ is universal and intrinsic in three-dimensional polycrystalline impure metals. A complete theoretical explanation is not yet available.Comment: 4 pages, 3 eps figure

Intrinsic Decoherence in Mesoscopic Systems

We present measurements of the phase coherence time $\tau_\phi$ in six quasi-1D Au wires and clearly show that $\tau_\phi$ is temperature independent at low temperatures. We suggest that zero-point fluctuations of the intrinsic electromagnetic environment are responsible for the observed saturation of $\tau_\phi$. We introduce a new functional form for the temperature dependence and present the results of a calculation for the saturation value of $\tau_\phi$. This explains the observed temperature dependence of our samples as well as many 1D and 2D systems reported to date.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures & 1 tabl

Phase-coherence time saturation in mesoscopic systems: wave function collapse

A finite phase-coherence time $\tau_{\phi}^{meas}$ emerges from iterative measurement onto a quantum system. For a rapid sequence, the phase-coherence time is found explicitly. For the stationary charge conduction problem, it is bounded. At all order, in the time-interval of measurements, we propose a general expression for $\tau_{\phi}^{meas}$.Comment: 8 pages, 0 figures, Late

Evidence for a Two-stage Melting Transition of the Vortex Matter in Bi2Sr2Ca1Cu2O8+d Single Crystals obtained by Muon Spin Rotation

From muon spin rotation measurements on under- to overdoped Bi-2212 crystals we obtain evidence for a two-stage transition of the vortex matter as a function of temperature. The first transition is well known and related to the irreversibility line (IL). The second one is located below the IL and has not been previously observed. It occurs for all three sets of crystals and is unrelated to the vortex mobility. Our data are consistent with a two-stage melting scenario where the intra-planar melting of the vortex lattice and the inter-planar decoupling of the vortex lines occur independently.Comment: 9 pages and 3 figure

Non-linear effects and dephasing in disordered electron systems

The calculation of the dephasing time in electron systems is presented. By means of the Keldysh formalism we discuss in a unifying way both weak localization and interaction effects in disordered systems. This allows us to show how dephasing arises both in the particle-particle channel (weak localization) and in the particle-hole channel (interaction effect). First we discuss dephasing by an external field. Besides reviewing previous work on how an external oscillating field suppresses the weak localization correction, we derive a new expression for the effect of a field on the interaction correction. We find that the latter may be suppressed by a static electric field, in contrast to weak localization. We then consider dephasing due to inelastic scattering. The ambiguities involved in the definition of the dephasing time are clarified by directly comparing the diagrammatic approach with the path-integral approach. We show that different dephasing times appear in the particle-particle and particle-hole channels. Finally we comment on recent experiments.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figures (14ps-files

Interaction effects and phase relaxation in disordered systems

This paper is intended to demonstrate that there is no need to revise the existing theory of the transport properties of disordered conductors in the so-called weak localization regime. In particular, we demonstrate explicitly that recent attempts to justify theoretically that the dephasing rate (extracted from the magnetoresistance) remains finite at zero temperature are based on the profoundly incorrect calculation. This demonstration is based on a straightforward evaluation of the effect of the electron-electron interaction on the weak localization correction to the conductivity of disordered metals. Using well-controlled perturbation theory with the inverse conductance $g$ as the small parameter, we show that this effect consists of two contributions. First contribution comes from the processes with energy transfer smaller than the temperature. This contribution is responsible for setting the energy scale for the magnetoresistance. The second contribution originates from the virtual processes with energy transfer larger than the temperature. It is shown that the latter processes have nothing to do with the dephasing, but rather manifest the second order (in $1/g$) correction to the conductance. This correction is calculated for the first time. The paper also contains a brief review of the existing experiments on the dephasing of electrons in disordered conductors and an extended qualitative discussion of the quantum corrections to the conductivity and to the density of electronic states in the weak localization regime.Comment: 34 pages, 13 .eps figure

Dephasing of Electrons by Two-Level Defects in Quantum Dots

The electron dephasing time $\tau_{\phi}$ in a diffusive quantum dot is calculated by considering the interaction between the electron and dynamical defects, modelled as two-level system. Using the standard tunneling model of glasses, we obtain a linear temperature dependence of $1/\tau_{\phi}$, consistent with the experimental observation. However, we find that, in order to obtain dephasing times on the order of nanoseconds, the number of two-level defects needs to be substantially larger than the typical concentration in glasses. We also find a finite system-size dependence of $\tau_{\phi}$, which can be used to probe the effectiveness of surface-aggregated defects.Comment: two-column 9 page

Access Inequalities in the Artistic Labour Market in the UK: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Precariousness, Entrepreneurialism and Voluntarism

This paper investigates the roles played by social enterprise and social activism in mitigating access inequalities in the artistic labour market in the UK. Our analysis focuses on underpaid internships as a primary form of access inequalities. By employing critical discourse analysis, this study contrasts the discourses of entrepreneurialism and voluntarism advocated by the government and social enterprises, with the counter-discourse of precarity advanced by social activists. The central argument is that precarity is not simply an innate characteristic of artistic labour, but is also a social construct and discourse which is directly linked to social class and the experience of less privileged creative workers