S-matrix formulation of mesoscopic systems and evanescent modes.

2009

The Landauer-Butikker formalism is an important formalism to study mesoscopic systems. Its validity for linear transport is well established theoretically as well as experimentally. Akkermans et al [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 66}, 76 (1991)] had shown that the formalism can be extended to study thermodynamic properties like persistent currents. It was earlier verified for simple one dimensional systems. We study this formula very carefully and conclude that it requires reinterpretation in quasi one dimension. This is essentially because of the presence of evanescent modes in quasi one dimension.