Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Evers is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Regensburg. His research focuses on theoretical condensed matter physics, mesoscopic physics, quantum transport, and molecular electronics. He previously headed a research group on computational condensed matter theory at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and has held several academic leadership roles. He is also an elected member of the review board of the German Science Foundation (DFG) for condensed matter physic.

This talk revisits mesoscopic transport from the perspective of the Landauer framework, which describes conductance in terms of transmission functions based on scattering states. While this approach has been widely used, the talk highlights that the underlying scattering states possess a complex spatial structure that goes beyond standard descriptions of transport.

In particular, it focuses on the emergence of circulating currents (“eddies”) that coexist with the net transport current and can lead to strongly enhanced local current densities. The talk examines these effects in different systems, including single molecules, graphene, and topological insulators, and discusses their implications for local current distributions and the resulting magnetization.

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 10:30 am

Location: MIBE Lecture Hall

Abstract:

In the 1980s, it was recognized—based on the work of Rolf Landauer and Markus Büttiker—that mesoscopic transport can be understood in terms of scattering states. While the Landauer approach has proven extraordinarily useful for describing conductance in terms of transmission functions, it has largely been overlooked that it implies much more. In particular, the scattering states underlying the Landauer picture exhibit a rich spatial structure that, in addition to the transport current, also supports circulating currents. Such “eddies” give rise to local current densities that can exceed the average current density by orders of magnitude. The associated magnetization can reach the millitesla (mT) regime.
This talk explores the properties of circulating charge and entropy currents in single molecules, graphene, and topological insulators.