Transfer matrix formulation of AC magnetoconductance

Within the linear response theory we derive an expression for the alternating current (AC) magnetoconductance (MC) of a quasi-one-dimensional mesoscopic system in terms of its pertinent transfer matrices. It is then employed in numerical simulations of the AC MC for some specific systems. At low frequencies and for weak magnetic fields, the AC MC of a clean system is expressible as a sum of independent contributions from the different one-dimensional subbands (which is trivially valid for DC conductance). For disordered systems, it is conjectured that neither the conductance nor its logarithm is self-averaging. Moreover, the fundamental phenomenon of positive MC no longer holds at finite frequencies.