Inelastic electron scattering in pseudo-one-dimensional metal wires

Abstract

The authors have investigated the weak-localisation corrections to the resistance of AuPd wires of rectangular cross section in which the effective width is shorter than the inelastic scattering length. The transverse magnetoresistance of the wires can be described equally well by an inelastic scattering rate tau ₁ varies as T^2/3 or T^1/2. This conclusion can also be applied to measurements of pseudo-one-dimensional electron scattering made by other authors and casts doubt on the identification of Nyquist scattering as the dominant inelastic mechanism. Universal conductance fluctuations observed in the same wires have periods that are consistent with the observed measurements of the inelastic scattering rates.