Effect of Magnetic Field on the Conductance of Ballistic Quantum Wire

Abstract

We calculate magnetic field dependence of the conductance of a ballistic quantum wire, a finite section of which is subjected to magnetic field. It is shown that the conductance is quantized and oscillates as changing magnetic field. The quantization results from the change in the number of subbands with changing magnetic field and the oscillation results from the Aharanov-Bohm interference due to edge states. We discuss the characteristics of these phenomena qualitatively.