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Evers, Ferdinand ; Mirlin, A. D. ; Polyakov, D. G. ; Wölfle, P.

Semiclassical theory of transport in a random magnetic field

Article

Evers, Ferdinand , Mirlin, A. D., Polyakov, D. G. and Wölfle, P. (1999) Semiclassical theory of transport in a random magnetic field. Physical Review B 60 (12), pp. 8951-8969.

DOI to cite this document: 10.5283/epub.46255


Abstract

We present a systematic description of the semiclassical kinetics of two-dimensional fermions in a smoothly varying inhomogeneous magnetic field B(r). The nature of the transport depends crucially on both the strength B0 of the random component of B(r) and its mean value ¯B. For ¯B=0, the governing parameter is α=d/R0, where d is the correlation length of disorder and R0 is the Larmor radius in ...

We present a systematic description of the semiclassical kinetics of two-dimensional fermions in a smoothly varying inhomogeneous magnetic field B(r). The nature of the transport depends crucially on both the strength B0 of the random component of B(r) and its mean value ¯B. For ¯B=0, the governing parameter is α=d/R0, where d is the correlation length of disorder and R0 is the Larmor radius in the field B0. While for α≪1 the Drude theory applies, at α≫1 most particles drift adiabatically along closed contours and are localized in the adiabatic approximation. The conductivity is then determined by a special class of trajectories, the “snake states,” which percolate by scattering at saddle points of B(r) where the adiabaticity of their motion breaks down. The external field ¯B also suppresses the diffusion by creating a percolation network of drifting cyclotron orbits. This kind of percolation is due only to a weak violation of the adiabaticity of the cyclotron rotation, yielding an exponentially fast drop of the conductivity at large ¯B. In the regime α≫1, the crossover between the snake-state percolation and the percolation of the drift orbits with increasing ¯B has the character of a phase transition (localization of the snake states) smeared exponentially weakly by nonadiabatic effects. The ac conductivity also reflects the dynamical properties of particles moving on the fractal percolation network. In particular, it has a sharp kink at zero frequency and falls off exponentially at higher frequencies. We also discuss the nature of the quantum magneto-oscillations. Detailed numerical studies confirm the analytical findings. The shape of the magnetoresistivity at α∼1 is in good agreement with experimental data in the fractional quantum Hall regime near half filling.



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Details

Item typeArticle
Journal or Publication TitlePhysical Review B
PublisherAmerican Physical Society (APS)
Open Access TypeDue to SHERPA/RoMEO
Volume60
Number of Issue or Book Chapter12
Page Rangepp. 8951-8969
Date15 September 1999
Date of publication05 Jul 2021 06:06
InstitutionsPhysics > Institute of Theroretical Physics > Chair Ferdinand Evers
Identification Number
ValueType
10.1103/PhysRevB.60.8951DOI
Dewey Decimal Classification500 Science > 530 Physics
StatusPublished
RefereedYes, this version has been refereed
Created at the University of RegensburgNo
URN of the UB Regensburgurn:nbn:de:bvb:355-epub-462550
Item ID46255

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