Controlled wave-function mixing in strongly coupled one-dimensional wires

We investigate the transport properties of two strongly coupled ballistic one-dimensional (1D) wires, defined by a split-gate structure deposited on a GaAs/AlGaAs double quantum well. Matching the widths and electron densities of the two wires brings them into resonance, forming symmetric and antisymmetric 1D subbands separated by energy gaps that are measured to be larger than their two-dimensional counterparts. Applying a magnetic field parallel to the wire axes enhances wave-function mixing at low fields, whereas at high fields the wires become completely decoupled.