Electro-magnetic Aharonov-Bohm effect in a 2-D electron gas ring

Abstract

We define a mesoscopic ring in a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) interrupted by two tunnel barriers, enabling us to apply a well-defined potential difference between the two halves of the ring. The electron interference in the ring is modified using a perpendicular magnetic field and a bias voltage. We observe clear Aharonov-Bohm oscillations up to the quantum Hall regime as a function of both parameters. The electron travel time between the barriers is found to increase with the applied magnetic field. Introducing a scattering model, we develop a new method to measure the non-equilibrium electron dephasing time, which becomes very short at high voltages and magnetic fields. The relevance of electron-electron interactions is discussed.