Geometry-Dependent Dephasing in Small Metallic Wires
Geometry-Dependent Dephasing in Small Metallic Wires
Temperature dependent weak localization is measured in metallic nanowires in a previously unexplored size regime down to width $w\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}5\mathrm{nm}$. The dephasing time, ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}$, shows a low temperature $T$ dependence close to quasi-1D theoretical expectations ( ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}\ensuremath{\sim}{T}^{\ensuremath{-}2/3}$) in the narrowest wires, but exhibits a relative saturation as $T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ for wide samples …