Probing Spatial Correlations with Nanoscale Two-Contact Tunneling

Interference effects on the transport through two localized tunnel junctions on the surface of a well-grounded sample reveal intrinsic spatial correlations characteristic of the uncoupled sample. Differential conductances of the two-junction probe are related to the spatial correlations of both normal and superconducting samples. For a superconducting sample the gap anisotropy strongly affects the results. This may serve as a sensitive probe of the order parameter in high-temperature superconductors.