Hydrodynamic pumping of a quantum Fermi liquid in a semiconductor heterostructure

We describe both experimentally and theoretically a hydrodynamic pumping mechanism in a Fermi liquid, arising from electron-electron interaction. An electron beam sweeping past an aperture is observed to pump carriers from this aperture. Experimentally, the pumping effect induces a current in the lead connected to the aperture, or induces a voltage signal corresponding to carrier extraction from the lead. Different geometries display the effect, and this work discusses one experimental geometry in detail. Theoretically, the solution of the Boltzmann equation, including an electron-electron collision integral, shows that the potential induced by injected electrons becomes positive in the regions nearby the main stream of injected electrons. Thus, the repulsive Coulomb interaction leads to an attractive, pumping force in the Fermi liquid. The pumping mechanism here described is shown to be qualitatively different from the Bernoulli pumping effect in classical liquids.

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