磁量子结构中二维自旋电子的隧穿输运

研究了零偏压和偏置电压作用下磁量子结构中自旋电子的隧穿输运性质. 结果表明电子自旋 输运的性质不仅取决于磁量子结构的构型、入射电子的能量和波矢, 而且取决于偏置电压. 在零偏压下, 由等同的磁垒磁阱构成的磁量子结构不具有自旋过滤的特点, 而由不等同的磁 垒磁阱构成的磁量子结构却具有较好的自旋过滤特点. 偏置电压极大地改变了磁量子结构中 电子的极化程度, 使得电子隧穿等同的磁垒磁阱构成的磁量子结构的输运性质也显著地依赖 于电子的自旋指向. 关键词： 磁量子结构 自旋电子 隧穿输运 自旋极化     

磁性隧道结电子输运特性的研究

在Slonczewsik自由电子理论模型下,研究了两铁磁性金属电极被一平面磁性势垒隔开的磁性隧道结零偏压下的隧穿电导、自旋极化率和隧穿磁阻比率,研究表明隧道结的磁结构对隧穿电导和隧穿磁阻的值有很大的影响,当两磁性电极分子场方向相同,且都与势垒层分子场反平行时,隧穿电导数值达到最大,两者平行时,其数值最小,同时还分析了分子场的相对取向等对磁性隧道结自旋极化电子输运性质的影响。研究结果对自旋电子器件的设计具有一定的指导意义。     

磁性隧道结电子输运特性的研究

在Slonczewsik自由电子理论模型下,研究了两铁磁性金属电极被一平面磁性势垒隔开的磁性隧道结零偏压下的隧穿电导、自旋极化率和隧穿磁阻比率,研究表明隧道结的磁结构对隧穿电导和隧穿磁阻的值有很大的影响,当两磁性电极分子场方向相同,且都与势垒层分子场反平行时,隧穿电导数值达到最大,两者平行时,其数值最小,同时还分析了分子场的相对取向等对磁性隧道结自旋极化电子输运性质的影响.研究结果对自旋电子器件的设计具有一定的指导意义.     

弱耦合GaAs/AlGaAs/InGaAs双势阱隧穿结构的磁隧穿特性研究

研究了低温(15 K)条件下弱耦合GaAs/AlGaAs/InGaAs双势阱结构的纵向磁隧穿特性. 研究表明,器件在零偏压下处于共振状态. 通过分析不同偏压下的磁电导振荡曲线,可以得到双量子阱中的基态束缚能级随偏压的变化规律,从而可以确定隧穿电流峰对应的隧穿机制. 所得结果可为弱耦合双量子点器件的制备提供基础. 关键词： 双量子阱 隧穿结构 磁电导振荡     

平行耦合双量子点分子A-B干涉仪的电荷及其自旋输运

利用非平衡格林函数方法,理论研究每臂中嵌有一个平行耦合双量子点分子的A-B干涉仪(平行耦合双量子点分子A-B干涉仪)的电荷及其自旋输运性质.无外磁场时,与每臂中嵌有一个量子点的A-B干涉仪相比较,平行耦合双量子点分子A-B干涉仪中电子隧穿变得更加容易发生.当平行耦合双量子点分子A-B干涉仪中引入外磁场时,能够在电导能谱中观察到一个Fano共振和一个反共振,这两种输运状态在磁场取适当数值时能够同时消失.此外,通过调节左右两电极间的偏压、磁通和Rashba自旋轨道相互作用,可以对体系自旋输运进行调控.     

δ势垒对多臂量子环中持续电流的影响

提出了含δ势垒的多臂量子环模型.研究发现总磁通为零时,持续电流随半导体环增大发生非周期性振荡,下臂因含δ势垒而获得最小的平均持续电流.AB磁通增强时,持续电流会发生周期性等幅振荡,并与电极的磁矩方向以及隧穿电子的自旋方向相关.两电极磁矩方向平行时,Rashba自旋轨道耦合具有改变持续电流相位和相位差的效应;两电极磁矩方向反平行时,Rashba自旋轨道耦合具有改变持续电流振幅的效应.各臂之间持续电流的不同与臂长和磁通分布的差异相关.在一定条件下,两种波函数所对应的持续电流是可分离的. 关键词： 多臂量子环 持续电流 δ势垒 Rashba自旋轨道耦合     

基于赫斯勒合金Co_2MnSi电极的磁性隧道结呈现巨磁阻效应（英文）

本文基于电子密度泛函理论计算和非平衡态格林函数技术研究了具有三明治结构的磁性隧道结构(非极化SrTiO_3薄层被夹在两个赫斯勒合金Co_2 MnSi电极之间)的自旋极化输运特性.理论计算结果清楚地表明磁平行组态的磁性隧道结呈现出几乎完美的自旋过滤效应.磁反平行组态的隧穿系数比磁平行组态的隧穿系数小几个数量级,导致体系的磁阻比高达10~6.电子结构计算分析表明该磁性隧道结的巨磁阻效应源自赫斯勒合金Co_2MnSi电极内在的半金属性、以及阻挡层和电极之间界面处过渡金属原子3d电子的显著自旋极化.     

通过边缘修饰在非磁性石墨烯基单分子结中引入自旋的理论研究

在分子自旋电子学中,向非磁性的分子器件中注入自旋引起了广泛关注.在此提出一个新颖的策略,将磁性引入到与两个扶手椅形石墨烯纳米带电极耦合的单个苯分子器件中,即将这两个扶手椅形石墨烯纳米带电极的末端切割成锯齿形边缘的三角形石墨烯.利用第一性原理方法研究了分子结的自旋相关输运性质.结果表明,由于锯齿形边缘的三角形石墨烯向扶手椅形石墨烯纳米带电极和苯分子的自旋转移,导致锯齿形边缘三角形石墨烯的本征磁性减弱.有趣的是,虽然锯齿形边缘三角形石墨烯的本征磁性衰减了,但仍对分子结的自旋输运有显著的贡献.输运计算表明,在自旋平行构型下,可以获得较大的电流自旋极化率.然而,在自旋反平行构型下,电流的自旋极化率发生了反转.器件隧穿磁电阻的正负可以通过偏压来调控.这项工作提出了一个在新型分子自旋电子器件中设计和应用石墨烯纳米带的有趣方法.     

双量子阱中光子辅助电子自旋隧穿

采用单电子有效质量近似理论, Floquet理论和传递矩阵方法, 对包含时间周期场的双量子阱中单电子的自旋隧穿特性进行了研究, 对InP/InAs半导体材料进行了数值计算. 重点研究了Rashba型和Dresselhaus型自旋轨道耦合、量子阱结构以及偏压对电子隧穿的影响. 这些结果可以为设计和调控半导体自旋电子器件提供一定的理论依据. 关键词： 光子辅助隧穿 隧穿概率 量子阱     

基于赫斯勒合金Co2MnSi电极的磁性隧道结呈现巨磁阻效应

本文基于电子密度泛函理论计算和非平衡态格林函数技术研究了具有三明治结构的磁性隧道结构(非极化SrTiO₂薄层被夹在两个赫斯勒合金Co₂MnSi电极之间)的自旋极化输运特性. 理论计算结果清楚地表明磁平行组态的磁性隧道结呈现出几乎完美的自旋过滤效应. 磁反平行组态的隧穿系数比磁平行组态的隧穿系数小几个数量级,导致体系的磁阻比高达10⁶. 电子结构计算分析表明该磁性隧道结的巨磁阻效应源自赫斯勒合金Co₂MnSi电极内在的半金属性、以及阻挡层和电极之间界面处过渡金属原子3d电子的显著自旋极化.     

Zeeman energy and spin relaxation in a one-electron quantum dot

We have measured the relaxation time, T1, of the spin of a single electron confined in a semiconductor quantum dot (a proposed quantum bit). In a magnetic field, applied parallel to the two-dimensional electron gas in which the quantum dot is defined, Zeeman splitting of the orbital states is directly observed by measurements of electron transport through the dot. By applying short voltage pulses, we can populate the excited spin state with one electron and monitor relaxation of the spin. We find a lower bound on T1 of 50 micros at 7.5 T, only limited by our signal-to-noise ratio. A continuous measurement of the charge on the dot has no observable effect on the spin relaxation.     

Thermally driven pure spin current through an interacting quantum dot

We study spin-dependent electron transport properties of a thermally driven interacting quantum dot. When an external magnetic field is applied to the quantum dot, the effective transmissions of spin-up and spin-down electrons are separated from each other and have a perfect mirror symmetry with respect to the incident energy at a certain gate voltage. A pure spin current can be induced in the system and modulated by a magnetic field. Under certain magnetic field strengths, a larger pure spin current can be obtained at gate voltages with the values in a range, not just at a specific voltage. These results indicate that the system can be worked as a pure spin current generator.     

Quantum pump in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer with a quantum dot driven by an ac field

With the help of the nonequilibrium Green's function method, the quantum pump in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer with a quantum dot driven by an ac field are studied theoretically. The ac field applied to the quantum dot may give rise to a pumped charge current at zero-bias voltage in the presence of a nonzero magnetic flux. The possibility of manipulating the pumped charge current is explored by tuning the dot level, the magnetic flux, the coupling strength and the ac field. By making use of various tunings, the magnitude and direction of the pumped charge current can be well controlled. Furthermore, the possibility to generate a pure spin current in the presence of the Rashba spin-orbit interaction has been discussed, which provides an idea for the design of a spin pump electrically.     

Spin-Dependent Electron Properties of a Triple-Terminal Quantum Dot Structure

Electron transport properties of a triple-terminal Aharonov-Bohm interferometer are theoretically studied. By applying a Rashba spin-orbit coupling to a quantum dot locally, we find that remarkable spin polarization comes about in the electron transport process with tuning the structure parameters, i.e., the magnetic flux or quantum dot levels. When the quantum dot levels are aligned with the Fermi level, there only appear spin polarization in this structure by the presence of an appropriate magnetic flux. However,in absence of magnetic flux spin polarization and spin separation can be simultaneously realized with the adjustment of quantum dot levels, namely, an incident electron from one terminal can select a specific terminal to depart from the quantum dots according to its spin state.     

Nonequilibrium spin transport through a diluted magnetic semiconductor quantum dot system with noncollinear magnetization

The spin-dependent transport through a diluted magnetic semiconductor quantum dot (QD) which is coupled via magnetic tunnel junctions to two ferromagnetic leads is studied theoretically. A noncollinear system is considered, where the QD is magnetized at an arbitrary angle with respect to the leads’ magnetization. The tunneling current is calculated in the coherent regime via the Keldysh nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) formalism, incorporating the electron–electron interaction in the QD. We provide the first analytical solution for the Green’s function of the noncollinear DMS quantum dot system, solved via the equation of motion method under Hartree–Fock approximation. The transport characteristics (charge and spin currents, and tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR)) are evaluated for different voltage regimes. The interplay between spin-dependent tunneling and single-charge effects results in three distinct voltage regimes in the spin and charge current characteristics. The voltage range in which the QD is singly occupied corresponds to the maximum spin current and greatest sensitivity of the spin current to the QD magnetization orientation. The QD device also shows transport features suitable for sensor applications, i.e., a large charge current coupled with a high TMR ratio.     

Pure spin-current diode based on interacting quantum dot tunneling junction

A magnetic field-controlled spin-current diode is theoretically proposed, which consists of a junction with an interacting quantum dot sandwiched between a pair of nonmagnetic electrodes. By applying a spin bias V_S across the junction, a pure spin current can be obtained in a certain gate voltage regime,regardless of whether the Coulomb repulsion energy exists. More interestingly, if we applied an external magnetic field on the quantum dot, we observed a clear asymmetry in the spectrum of spin current I_S as a function of spin bias, while the charge current always decays to zero in the Coulomb blockade regime. Such asymmetry in the current profile suggests a spin diode-like behavior with respect to the spin bias, while the net charge through the device is almost zero. Different from the traditional charge current diode, this design can change the polarity direction and rectifying ability by adjusting the external magnetic field, which is very convenient. This device scheme can be compatible with current technologies and has potential applications in spintronics or quantum processing.     

Optical spin orientation of a single manganese atom in a quantum dot

The magnetic state of a single magnetic atom (Mn) embedded in an individual semiconductor quantum dot is optically probed using micro-spectroscopy. A high degree of spin polarization can be achieved for an individual Mn atom localized in a quantum dot using quasi-resonant or fully-resonant optical excitation at zero magnetic field. Optically created spin polarized carriers generate an energy splitting of the Mn spin and enable magnetic moment orientation controlled by the photon helicity and energy. The dynamics and the magnetic field dependence of the optical pumping mechanism shows that the spin lifetime of an isolated Mn atom at zero magnetic field is controlled by a magnetic anisotropy induced by the built-in strain in the quantum dots. The Mn spin distribution prepared by optical pumping is fully conserved for a few microseconds. This opens the way to full optical control of the spin state of an individual magnetic atom in a solid state environment.     

Transport through a quantum dot subject to spin and charge bias

Spin and charge transport through a quantum dot coupled to external nonmagnetic leads is analyzed theoretically in terms of the non-equilibrium Green function formalism based on the equation of motion method. The dot is assumed to be subject to spin and charge bias, and the considerations are focused on the Kondo effect in spin and charge transport. It is shown that the differential spin conductance as a function of spin bias reveals a typical zero-bias Kondo anomaly which becomes split when either magnetic field or charge bias are applied. Significantly different behavior is found for mixed charge/spin conductance. The influence of electron-phonon coupling in the dot on tunneling current as well as on both spin and charge conductance is also analyzed.     

Fast spin state initialization in a singly charged InAs-GaAs quantum dot by optical cooling

Quantum computation requires a continuous supply of rapidly initialized qubits for quantum error correction. Here, we demonstrate fast spin state initialization with near unity efficiency in a singly charged quantum dot by optically cooling an electron spin. The electron spin is successfully cooled from 5 to 0.06 K at a magnetic field of 0.88 T applied in Voigt geometry. The spin cooling rate is of order 10(9) s-1, which is set by the spontaneous decay rate of the excited state.     

准一维半导体量子点中电偶极自旋共振的物理机理

半导体量子点中的电子自旋具有较长相干时间以及可扩展性的特点, 在近十几年来引起了人们的广泛兴趣. 人们常常利用电子自旋共振技术来对单个自旋进行操纵. 这样不但需要一个静磁场来使电子产生赛曼劈裂, 同时还需要一个与之垂直的局域振荡磁场. 但是, 在实验上产生足够强且具有固定频率的局域磁场是比较困难的. 后来人们发现, 局域的振荡电场也可以操纵单个电子自旋, 也就是所谓的电偶极自旋共振. 众所周知, 自旋只有自旋磁矩, 不会与电场有任何直接的相互作用. 所以, 电偶极自旋共振的发生必须依赖于某些媒质. 这些媒质包括：量子点材料中的自旋轨道耦合作用, 量子点中的局域磁场梯度, 以及量子点中电子自旋与核自旋的超精细相互作用. 这些媒质能诱导出自旋与电场之间间接的相互作用, 从而外电场操纵单个电子自旋得以实现. 本文总结归纳了目前半导体量子点系统中发生电偶极自旋共振的三种主要物理机理.