Linear-in-temperature conductance in two-dimensional electron fluids

Abstract

Linear temperature dependence of transport coefficients in metals is often ascribed to non-Fermi-liquid physics. Here we demonstrate the $T$-linear behavior of nonlocal conductivity in a clean 2D electron fluid, where carrier collisions assist conduction and lead to hydrodynamic transport with conductance rather than resistance growing with temperature. The key aspect is the occurrence of multiple hydrodynamic modes representing odd-parity modulations of the Fermi surface evolving in space and time. A cascade of such modes results in a linear $T$ dependence that extends to lowest temperatures, as well as a Kolmogorov-like fractional power $-5/3$ scaling of conductivity vs. wavenumber. These dependences provide a smoking gun for nonclassical hydrodynamics driven by such modes, expected to be generic for 2D electron fluids with simple near-circular Fermi surfaces.