Semiclassical theory of chaotic conductors

Phys Rev Lett. 2006 Feb 17;96(6):066804. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.066804. Epub 2006 Feb 15.

Abstract

We calculate the Landauer conductance through chaotic ballistic devices in the semiclassical limit, to all orders in the inverse number of scattering channels without and with a magnetic field. Families of pairs of entrance-to-exit trajectories contribute, similarly to the pairs of periodic orbits making up the small-time expansion of the spectral form factor of chaotic dynamics. As a clue to the exact result we find that close self-encounters slightly hinder the escape of trajectories into leads. Our result explains why the energy-averaged conductance of individual chaotic cavities, with disorder or "clean," agrees with predictions of random-matrix theory.