https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2010-01265-4
Regular Article
Current characteristics of mesoscopic rings in quantum Smoluchowski regime
Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
a e-mail: Jerzy.Luczka@us.edu.pl
Received:
3
August
2010
Revised:
9
August
2010
Published online:
1
October
2010
In normal mesoscopic metals of a ring topology persistent currents can be induced by threading the center of the ring with a magnetic flux. This phenomenon is an example of the famous Aharonov-Bohm effect. In the paper we study the current vs the external constant magnetic flux characteristics of the system driven by both the classical and the quantum thermal fluctuations. The problem is formulated in terms of Langevin equations in classical and quantum Smoluchowski regimes. We analyze the impact of the quantum thermal fluctuations on the current-flux characteristics. We demonstrate that the current response can be changed from paramagnetic to diamagnetic when the quantum nature of the thermal fluctuations increases.
© EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag, 2010
