Quantum-to-classical correspondence in open chaotic systems

Abstract

We review properties of open chaotic mesoscopic systems with a finite Ehrenfest time tau_E. The Ehrenfest time separates a short-time regime of the quantum dynamics, where wave packets closely follow the deterministic classical motion, from a long-time regime of fully-developed wave chaos. For a vanishing Ehrenfest time the quantum systems display a degree of universality which is well described by random-matrix theory. In the semiclassical limit, tau_E becomes parametrically larger than the scattering time off the boundaries and the dwell time in the system. This results in the emergence of an increasing number of deterministic transport and escape modes, which induce strong deviations from random-matrix universality. We discuss these deviations for a variety of physical phenomena, including shot noise, conductance fluctuations, decay of quasibound states, and the mesoscopic proximity effect in Andreev billiards.