Short paths and information theory in quantum chaotic scattering: Transport through quantum dots

We propose an information-theoretic model to describe the common features of typical chaotic scattering processes by including two time scales, a prompt and an equilibrated component. The model, introduced in nuclear physics, uses the average value of the scattering matrix to describe the prompt processes, and satisfies flux conservation, causality, and ergodicity. We show that the model successfully describes electronic transport through a much larger class of chaotic quantum dots than previously considered. The predicted distribution of the conductance may differ dramatically from that of previous models.