Interaction-Induced Resonance in Conductance and Thermopower of Quantum Wires

Abstract

We study the effect of electron-electron interaction on the transport properties of short clean quantum wires adiabatically connected to reservoirs. Interactions lead to resonances in a multi-channel wire at particular values of the Fermi energy. We investigate in detail the resonance in a two-channel wire. The (negative) conductance correction peaks at the resonance, and decays exponentially as the Fermi energy is tuned away; the resonance width being given by the temperature. Likewise, the thermopower shows a characteristic structure, which is surprisingly well approximated by the so-called Mott formula. Finally, four-fold splitting of the resonance in a magnetic field provides a unique signature of the effect.