Length-independent voltage fluctuations in small devices

Abstract

Conductance fluctuations in one-dimensional lines of length L shorter than the phase-coherence length L are not universal but diverge as L-2. Using the Onsager relations and voltage additivity, we show that the voltage fluctuations are independent of the distance between voltage probes. The antisymmetric (Hall-type) contribution to the voltage fluctuations is constant for all values of L. Measurements of the voltage fluctuations and correlation function between different regions in Au and Sb lines confirm these results. © 1987 The American Physical Society.