Discrete states and ballistic interference in quantum wires approaching macroscopic lengths

Abstract

Increasing the size of a system showing quantum effects is a difficult task limited by decoherence, a diminishing quantum level spacing, and the effects of disorder spoiling the quantum behavior when growing in size. Systems in 1D offer very strong confinement in the transverse directions, thus generally enhancing quantum effects, but are notoriously sensitive to disorder. In this work, we present a system of 1D electrons exhibiting discrete quantum levels and fully ballistic coherent quantum interference with lengths of up to 18\,$μ$m. Tunneling spectroscopy between two parallel quantum wires with a central gated segment shows intricate interference patterns exhibiting several different periods in magnetic field and density. An analysis over three different wire lengths and a comparison with single particle numerical simulations without any free parameters remarkably explains the full pattern including the observed periods. Therefore, these wires are essentially ideal 1D systems with aspect ratios approaching 1'000. In addition, at low bias, we also observe not only the Coulomb charging energies but can clearly resolve the discrete orbital and spin states in up to 10\,$μ$m long wires when filling 100 electrons with the center gate. This is made visible by a state-of-the-art low temperature and low noise measurement system. The spin filling sequence is completely regular, strictly alternating spin up and down, avoiding high spin states, while the peak conductance is modulated in accordance with the previously discussed interference patterns. These striking results show that single particle Schrödinger quantum mechanics such as ballistic quantum interference and discrete quantum states may be observed, under the right conditions, in systems of up to 18\,$μ$m length, thus approaching macroscopic sizes.