Geometry-dependent scattering through quantum billiards: Experiment and theory

We present experimental studies of geometry-specific quantum scattering in microwave billiards of a given shape. We perform full quantum-mechanical scattering calculations and find excellent agreement with experimental results. We also carry out semiclassical calculations where the conductance is given as a sum over all classical trajectories between the leads, each of the trajectories carrying a quantum-mechanical phase. We unambiguously demonstrate that the characteristic frequencies of the oscillations in the transmission and reflection amplitudes t and r are related to the length distribution of the classical trajectories between the leads, whereas the frequencies of the probabilities T=|t|² and R=|r|² can be understood in terms of the length difference distribution in the pairs of classical trajectories. We also discuss the effect of nonclassical “ghost” trajectories, i.e., trajectories that include classically forbidden reflection off the lead mouths.