arXiv:1212.5915 · Physical Review Letters

Controlled Dephasing of an Electron Interferometer with a Path Detector at Equilibrium

E. Weisz, Hyung Kook Choi, Moty Heiblum, Yuval Gefen, V. Umansky, D. Mahalu

Published Dec 18, 2012• 29 citations

Abstract

Controlled dephasing of electrons, via "which path" detection, involves, in general, coupling a coherent system to a current driven noise source. However, here we present a case in which a nearly isolated electron puddle within a quantum dot, at thermal equilibrium and in millikelvin range temperature, fully dephases the interference in a nearby electronic interferometer. Moreover, the complete dephasing is accompanied by an abrupt π phase slip, which is robust and nearly independent of system parameters. Attributing the robustness of the phenomenon to the Friedel sum rule--which relates a system's occupation to its scattering phases--proves the universality of this powerful rule. The experiment allows us to peek into a nearly isolated quantum dot, which cannot be accessed via conductance measurements.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.109.250401

Related papers

Dephasing by a Zero-Temperature Detector and the Friedel Sum Rule

Bernd Rosenow, Yuval Gefen

Detecting the passage of an interfering particle through one of the interferometer's arms, known as "which path" measurement, gives rise to interference visibility degradation (dephasing). Here, we consider a detector at equilibrium. At finite temperature, dephasing is caused by thermal fluctuations of the detector. More interestingly, in the zero-temperature limit, equilibrium quantum fluctuations of the detector give rise to dephasing of the out-of-equilibrium interferometer. This dephasing is a manifestation of an orthogonality catastrophe, which differs qualitatively from Anderson's. Its magnitude is directly related to the Friedel sum rule.

Physical Review LettersJun 20, 201210 citations

Dephasing by a Zero Temperature Detector and the Friedel Sum Rule

Bernd Rosenow, Yuval Gefen

Detecting the passage of an interfering particle through one of the interferometer's arms, known as ``which path'' measurement, gives rise to interference visibility degradation (dephasing). Here, we consider a detector at equilibrium. At finite temperature, dephasing is caused by thermal fluctuations of the detector. More interestingly, in the zero-temperature limit, equilibrium quantum fluctuations of the detector give rise to dephasing of the out-of-equilibrium interferometer. This dephasing is a manifestation of an orthogonality catastrophe, which differs qualitatively from Anderson's. Its magnitude is directly related to the Friedel sum rule.

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyMar 20, 20130 citations

Zero temperature Dephasing and the Friedel Sum Rule

Bernd Rosenow, Yuval Gefen

Detecting the passage of an interfering particle through one of the interferometer's arms, known as "which path" measurement, gives rise to interference visibility degradation (dephasing). Here we consider a detector at {\em equilibrium}. At finite temperature dephasing is caused by thermal fluctuations of the detector. More interestingly, in the zero temperature limit, equilibrium quantum fluctuations of the detector give rise to dephasing of the out-of-equilibrium interferometer. This dephasing is a manifestation of an orthogonality catastrophe which differs qualitatively from Anderson's. Its magnitude is directly related to the Friedel sum rule.

arXiv:1111.5849Nov 24, 20110 citations

Controlled Dephasing of Electronsviaa Phase Sensitive Detector

David Sprinzak, Eyal Buks, Moty Heiblum +1 more

We demonstrate a controlled dephasing experiment via exploiting a unique entangled interferometer-detector system, realized in an electronic mesoscopic structure. We study the dephasing process both from the which path information available in the detector and, alternatively, from the direct effect of the detector on the interferometer. Detection is possible only due to an induced phase change in the detector. Even though this phase change cannot actually be measured, strong dephasing of the interferometer took place. The intricate role of detector's noise and coherency are investigated.

Physical Review LettersJun 19, 2000106 citations

Controlled Dephasing via Phase Detection of Electrons: Demonstration of Bohr's Complementarity Principle

David Sprinzak, Eyal Buks, Moty Heiblum +1 more

Interference results when a quantum particle is free to choose among a few indistinguishable paths. A canonical example of Bohr's complementarity principle [1] is a two-path interferometer with an external detector coupled to one of the paths. Then, interference between the two paths vanishes (i.e. dephasing) if one is able to detect, even in principle, the path taken by the particle. This type of which path (WP) experiment was already executed with photons, cooled atoms, neutrons, solitons, and more recently with electrons in a mesoscopic system [2]. In the latter experiment path determination was provided by inducing a change in the current flowing through the detector. In the present experiment we perform a more intriguing WP determination: only a phase change is being induced in the detector while the current remains unaffected. We show that such detector-interferometer interaction can be understood both, from the WP information obtained by the detector, or alternatively by understanding the disturbance in the interferometer caused by the detector. Moreover, we address the subtle role of detector coherency and point out difficulties in the intuitive interpretation of the experiment.

arXiv:cond-mat/9907162Jul 11, 19991 citation

Dephasing due to Which Path Detector

Eyal Buks, Ralf Schuster, Moty Heiblum +2 more

We study dephasing of electrons induced by a which path detector and thus verify Bohr’s complementarity principle for fermions. We utilize a double path interferometer with two slits, with one slit being replaced by a coherent quantum dot (QD). A short one dimensional channel, in the form of a quantum point contact (QPC), in close proximity to the QD, serves as a which path detector. We find that by varying the properties of the QPC detector we affect the visibility of the interference, inducing thus dephasing. We develop a simple model to explain the dephasing due to the nearby detector and find good agreement with the experiment. Bohr’s complementarity principle excludes the possibility of observation of multiple paths interference simultaneously with which path (WP) determination [1]. Wave-like behavior, or interference, is possible only when the different possible paths a particle can take are indistinguishable, even

Jan 1, 19976 citations