Correlated roughness effects on electrical conductivity of quantum wires

The influence of electron scattering by rough boundaries on electrical cond uctivity of quantum wires is studied in the diffuse transport limit within the kinetic Boltzmann equation approach. The considerations are restricted to the wires obtained by lateral confinement of a two-dimensional electron gas. Both intra- and interboundary roughness correlations are taken into ac count. It is shown that the cross correlations usually increase the conduct ivity, leaving the shape and phase of the quantum size oscillations almost unaffected. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.