Giant interference in electron scattering in double quantum wires

Electron scattering from two scatterers in tunnel-coupled double quantum wi res (DQW) in a perpendicular magnetic field is considered. It is shown that in the partial energy gap, where there is only one propagating mode, the s cattering from a pair of scatterers located in the opposite wires at a smal l distance from each other should exhibit the giant interference effect. Th e localization length in the DQW with disorder, modeled by an array of rand om short-range defects, is calculated for different concentrations of defec ts. At high concentrations the localization length is strongly reduced beca use of the enhanced scattering on pairs of nearby scatterers. (C) 2000 Else vier Science B.V. All rights reserved.