Electron transport in multiprobe quantum wires anomalous magnetoresistance effects

The magnetoresistance anomalies that are observed in multiprobe quantum wires (such as quenching of the Hall effect and negative bend resistance) have been investigated using a semiclassical billiard‐ball model that includes the effects of diffuse boundary scattering. This modeling predicts that two peaks are expected in the magnetoresistance of a quantum wire in which there is a significant amount of diffuse boundary scattering. One peak is due to diffuse boundary scattering in the wire and the other due to specular boundary scattering in the junctions at either end of the wire. The modeling also predicts that the well‐known quenching of the Hall effect and negative bend resistance anomalies are both expected to be enhanced by diffuse boundary scattering. This is explained in terms of the way in which diffuse boundary scattering affects the angular distribution of the electrons entering the junctions in the multiprobe wires. ‘‘Diffuse collimation’’ of the electron distribution occurs, increasing the prob...