Transport in a spin incoherent Luttinger liquid

Abstract

We theoretically investigate transport in a spin incoherent one dimensional electron system, which may be realized in quantum wires at low electron density and finite temperature. Both the pure and disordered cases are considered, both in finite wires and in the thermodynamic limit. The effect of Fermi liquid leads attached to the finite length system is also addressed. In the infinite system, we find a phase diagram identical to that obtained for a spinless Luttinger Liquid, provided we make the identification $g=2g_c$, where $g$ is the interaction parameter in a spinless Luttinger Liquid and $g_c$ is the interaction parameter of the charge sector of a Luttinger Liquid theory for electrons with spin. For a finite length wire attached to Fermi liquid leads the transport depends on details of the disorder in the wire. A simple picture for the cross-over from the spin incoherent regime to the spin coherent regime as the temperature is varied is also discussed, as well as some physical implications.