paper

Higher-Than-Ballistic Conduction of Viscous Electron Flows

arXiv:1607.07269 · doi:10.1073/pnas.1612181114

Abstract

Strongly interacting electrons can move in a neatly coordinated way, reminiscent of the movement of viscous fluids. Here we show that in viscous flows interactions facilitate transport, allowing conductance to exceed the fundamental Landauer's ballistic limit . The effect is particularly striking for the flow through a viscous point contact, a constriction exhibiting the quantum-mechanical ballistic transport at but governed by electron hydrodynamics at elevated temperatures. We develop a theory of the ballistic-to-viscous crossover using an approach based on quasi-hydrodynamic variables. Conductance is found to obey an additive relation , where the viscous contribution dominates over in the hydrodynamic limit. We argue that superballistic, low-dissipation transport is a generic feature of viscous electronics.

10pgs, 4fgs

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