Quantum partition noise of photo-created electron-hole pairs

Abstract

We show experimentally that even when no bias voltage is applied to a quantum conductor, the electronic quantum partition noise can be investigated using GHz radiofrequency irradiation of a reservoir. Using a Quantum Point Contact configuration as the ballistic conductor we are able to make an accurate determination of the partition noise Fano factor resulting from the photo-assisted shot noise. Applying both voltage bias and rf irradiation we are able to make a definitive quantitative test of the scattering theory of photo-assisted shot noise.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure