A theoretical investigation of field induced switching in a disordered electron wave coupler

A theoretical study of field induced switching in a disordered dual electron wave coupler [Eugster and del Alamo, Appl. Phys. Lett. 64, 3157 (1994)] is presented. A far-microwave field is applied in order to control the lateral tunneling of ballistic electrons, represented as time-dependent wave packets. Coherent suppression of the tunneling oscillations [Hanggi et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 516 (1991)] is demonstrated within a disordered wave coupler, represented by a two dimensional stochastic model. The longitudinal propagation of the electron wave packet is shown to be sensitive to weak disorder in the wave coupler only when the maximal elastic scattering range exceeds roughly half the De-Broglie (Fermi) wavelength of the electron.