Transverse Shubnikov–de Haas effect and the manifestation of quantum diffraction

Abstract

A quantum diffraction interpretation of the transverse Shubnikov–de Haas effect is presented. Within the framework of the conventional theory of this effect, we show that the matrix element for the electron transition from an initial state to a final state used in calculating the transverse electrical conductivity can be represented as a diffraction-type amplitude distribution. The squared modulus of this matrix element under certain conditions exhibits the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern. It is shown that the oscillating part of the transverse conductivity has the same form as the amplitude for Fraunhofer diffraction by an annular aperture.