Obstacle-Induced Gurzhi Effect and Hydrodynamic Electron Flow in Two-Dimensional Systems

Abstract

The viscous flow of electrons in a narrow channel requires both strong electron-electron interactions and no-slip boundary conditions. However, introducing obstacles within the liquid can significantly increase flow resistance and, as a result, amplify the effects of viscosity. Even in samples with smooth walls, the presence of an obstacle can strongly alter electron behavior, leading to pronounced hydrodynamic effects. We investigated transport in mesoscopic samples containing a disordered array of obstacles. In contrast to samples without obstacles, which do not show a decrease in resistivity with rising temperature, samples with obstacles exhibit a significant resistivity reduction as temperature increases (the Gurzhi effect). By measuring the negative magnetoresistance, we extracted shear viscosity and other parameters through comparison with theoretical predictions. Consequently, narrow-channel samples with a disordered obstacle array provide a valuable platform for studying hydrodynamic electron flow independently of boundary conditions.