Many-electron Coulomb correlations in hopping transport along layers of quantum dots

Experimental data are analyzed on the hopping transport of holes in two-dimensional layers of Ge/Si(001) quantum dots (QDs) under conditions of the long-range Coulomb interaction of charge carriers localized in QDs, when the temperature dependence of the conductivity obeys the Efros-Shklovskii law. It is found that the parameters of hopping conduction significantly deviate from the predictions of the model of one-electron excitations in “Coulomb glasses.” Many-particle Coulomb correlations associated with the motion of holes localized in QDs play a decisive role in the processes of hopping charge transfer between QDs. These correlations lead to a substantial decrease in the Coulomb barriers for the tunneling of charge carriers.     

The effect of coulomb correlations on the nonequilibrium charge redistribution tuned by the tunneling current

We demonstrate that the tunneling current flowing through a system with Coulomb correlations leads to a charge redistribution between the different localized states. A simple model consisting of two electron levels is analyzed by means of the Heisenberg equations of motion taking correlations of electron filling numbers in localized states into account exactly in all orders. We consider various relations between the Coulomb interaction and localized electron energies. Sudden jumps of the electron density at each level in a certain range of the applied bias are found. We find that for some parameter range, inverse occupation in the two-level system appears due to Coulomb correlations. It is also shown that Coulomb correlations lead to the appearance of negative tunneling conductivity at a certain relation between the values of tunneling rates from the two electron levels.     

Diagnostics of many-particle electronic states: Non-stationary currents and residual charge dynamics

We propose the method for identifying many particle electronic states in the system of coupled quantum dots (impurities) with Coulomb correlations. We demonstrate that different electronic states can be distinguished by the complex analysis of localized charge dynamics and non-stationary characteristics. We show that localized charge time evolution strongly depends on the properties of initial state and analyze different time scales in charge kinetics for initially prepared singlet and triplet states. We reveal the conditions for existence of charge trapping effects governed by the selection rules for electron transitions between the states with different occupation numbers.     

Charge and spin configurations in the coupled quantum dots with Coulomb correlations induced by tunneling current

We investigated the peculiarities of non-equilibrium charge states and spin configurations in the system of two strongly coupled quantum dots (QDs) weakly connected to the electrodes in the presence of Coulomb correlations. We analyzed the modification of non-equilibrium charge states and different spin configurations of the system in a wide range of applied bias voltage and revealed well pronounced ranges of system parameters where negative tunneling conductivity appears due to the Coulomb correlations.     

Correlation induced switching of the local spatial charge distribution in a two-level system

It was found that tunneling current through a nanometer scale structure with strongly coupled localized states causes spatial redistribution of localized charges induced by Coulomb correlations. We present here theoretical investigation of this effect by means of Heisenberg equations for localized states electron filling numbers. This method makes it possible to take into account pair correlations of local electron density exactly. It is shown that inverse occupation of the two-level system caused by Coulomb correlations appears in particular range of applied bias. Described effects can give a possibility of charge manipulation in the proposed system. We also expect that described results can be observed in tunneling structures with impurities or with small quantum dots.     

Kinetics of a local “magnetic” moment and a non-stationary spin-polarized current in the single impurity Anderson model

We perform theoretical investigation of the localized state dynamics in the presence of interaction with the reservoir and Coulomb correlations. We analyze kinetic equations for electron occupation numbers with different spins taking into account high order correlation functions for the localized electrons. We reveal that in the stationary state electron occupation numbers with the opposite spins always have the same value: the stationary state is a “paramagnetic” one. “Magnetic” properties can appear only in the non-stationary characteristics of the single-impurity Anderson model and in the dynamics of the localized electrons second order correlation functions. We found that for deep energy levels and strong Coulomb correlations, relaxation time for initial “magnetic” state can be several orders larger than for “paramagnetic” one. So, long-living “magnetic” moment can exist in the system. We also found non-stationary spin polarized currents flowing in opposite directions for the different spins in the particular time interval.     

Localized charge bifurcation in the coupled quantum dots

We theoretically analyzed localized charge relaxation in a double quantum dot (QD) system coupled with continuous spectrum states in the presence of Coulomb interaction between electrons within a dot. We have found that for a wide range of the system parameters charge relaxation occurs through two stable regimes with significantly different relaxation rates. A certain instant of time exists in the system at which rapid switching between stable regimes takes place. We consider this phenomenon to be applicable for the creation of active elements in nano-electronics based on the fast transition effect between two stable states.     

Coexistence of Charge Order and Antiferromagnetic Order in an Extended Periodic Anderson Model

The competition between the RKKY interaction and the Kondo effect leads to a magnetic phase transition,which occurs ubiquitously in heavy fermion materials.However,there are more and more experimental evidences indicating that the valence fluctuation plays an essential role in the Ce-and Y-based compounds.We study an extended periodic Anderson model(EPAM) which includes the onsite Coulomb repulsion Ucf between the localized electrons and conduction electrons.By employing the density matrix embedding theory,we investigate the EPAM in the symmetric case at half filling.By fixing the onsite Coulomb repulsion U of the localized electrons to an intermediate value,the interplay between the RKKY interaction,the Kondo effect and the Coulomb repulsion Ucf brings rich physics.We find three different phases,the antiferromagnetic phase,the charge order phase and paramagnetic phase.When the hybridization strength V between the localized orbital and the conduction orbital is small,the Kondo effect is weak so that the AF phase and the CO phase are present.The phase transition between the two long-range ordered phase is of first order.We also find a coexistence region between the two phases.As V increases,the Kondo effect becomes stronger,and the paramagnetic phase appears between the other two phases.     

Thermoelectrics with Coulomb-coupled quantum dots

In this article we review the thermoelectric properties of three terminal devices with Coulomb-coupled quantum dots (QDs) as observed in recent experiments [1], [2]. The system we consider consists of two Coulomb-blockade QDs, one of which can exchange electrons with only a single reservoir (heat reservoir), while the other dot is tunnel coupled with two reservoirs at a lower temperature (conductor). The heat reservoir and the conductor interact only via the Coulomb coupling of the quantum dots. It has been found that two regimes have to be considered. In the first one, the heat flow between the two systems is small. In this regime, thermally driven occupation fluctuations of the hot QD modify the transport properties of the conductor system. This leads to an effect called thermal gating. Experiments have shown how this can be used to control charge flow in the conductor by means of temperature in a remote reservoir. We further substantiate the observations with model calculations, and implications for the realisation of an all-thermal transistor are discussed. In the second regime, the heat flow between the two systems is relevant. Here the system works as a nanoscale heat engine, as proposed recently (Sánchez and Büttiker [3]). We review the conceptual idea, its experimental realisation and the novel features arising in this new kind of thermoelectric device such as decoupling of heat and charge flow.     

An ab-initio study of silicon adsorption on metallic surfaces (Au/Ag): Novel perspective to explore chemical bonding

We analyzed localized charge time evolution in the system of two interacting quantum dots (QD) (artificial molecule) coupled with the continuous spectrum states. We demonstrated that Coulomb interaction modifies relaxation rates and is responsible for non-monotonic time evolution of the localized charge. We suggested new mechanism of this non-monotonic charge time evolution connected with charge redistribution between different relaxation channels in each QD.     

The influence of tunneling matrix element modification due to on-site Coulomb interaction on local tunneling conductivity

Interplay between changes of energy levels and tunneling amplitudes caused by localized electrons’ on-site Coulomb interaction depending on non-equilibrium electron filling numbers is analyzed. Specific features of local tunneling conductivity spectra for different positions of localized states’ energy relative to the Fermi level have been investigated by means of self-consistent mean field approximation in the presence of non-equilibrium effects. The conditions when modifications of tunneling transfer amplitude due to changes of electron filling numbers in the presence of on-site Coulomb interaction should be taken into account in tunneling conductivity spectra have been revealed.     

Simulation of the Coulomb blockade microscopy of quantum dots

We perform numerical simulation of the Coulomb blockade microscopy on single and double quantum dots (QDs) weakly coupled to the reservoirs of the two-dimensional electron gas. The model describes the screening of the Coulomb charge at the tip of the atomic force microscope by deformation of the electron gas in the QD and in the reservoirs by a self-consistent iteration of DFT equations for the coupled subsystems. We discuss the reaction of the electrons to the tip and the shape of the effective tip potential, which in general becomes short range, strongly dependent on the tip position and asymmetric with a longer tail at the side of the QD. We determine the ground state under influence of the charged probe and obtain charge stability maps of QD as functions of the tip position. We evaluate the charging lines and compare them with the ones obtained for the perturbative conditions for which the charge density is assumed unaffected by the tip.     

InAs自组装量子点GaAs肖特基二极管中的电流输运特性

设计了含有InAs自组装量子点(SAQDs)的新型金属半导体金属隧穿结构,研究了其直流输运特性,观察到了电流迟滞回路现象.这种回路现象是由于紧邻金属肖特基接触的量子点充电和放电引起的,也可以说是由外加电压控制的量子点的单电子过程引起的.分析了量子点总体的充放电特性,量子点中电子在高电场下隧穿出量子点的概率变化决定了量子点的放电过程,而充电过程是由流过量子点层的二极管正向电流决定.理论拟合结果显示充电过程主要由于量子点基态能级俘获电子照成的,激发态对量子点充放电过程只有微弱影响. 关键词： 迟滞现象 自组装量子点 单电子过程     

Spin excitations in few-electrons AlGaAs/GaAs quantum dots probed by inelastic light scattering

We present recent studies of electronic excitations in nanofabricated AlGaAs/GaAs semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) by resonant inelastic light scattering. The resonant light scattering spectra are dominated by excitations from parity-allowed inter-shell transitions between Fock–Darwin levels. In QDs with very few electrons the resonant spectra are characterized by distinct charge and spin excitations that reveal the strong impact of both exchange and correlation effects. A sharp inter-shell spin excitation of the triplet spin QD state with four electrons is identified.     

Effect of the electron population on intraband absorption in InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots

We present a comprehensive study of the intraband transitions in n-type InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) with a filling varying from 0.5 to 4 electrons per dot, using both polarization-dependent absorption and photocurrent spectroscopy. Applying these complementary mid- and far-infrared spectroscopies over a wide energy range allows us to obtain a detailed picture of the intraband transitions and energy levels in self-assembled QDs.     

Non-stationary effects in the coupled quantum dots influenced by the electron-phonon interaction

We analyzed time evolution of the localized charge in the system of two interacting single level quantum dots coupled with the continuous spectrum states in the presence of electron-phonon interaction. We demonstrated that electron-phonon interaction leads to an increase in localized charge relaxation rate. We also found that several time scales with different relaxation rates appear in the system in the case of non-resonant tunneling between the dots. We revealed the formation of oscillations in the filling numbers time evolution caused by the emission and adsorption processes of phonons.     

Conductivity of single-walled carbon nanotubes

In a system of N interacting single-level quantum dots (QDs), we study the relaxation dynamics and the current–voltage characteristics determined by symmetry properties of the QD arrangement. Different numbers of dots, initial charge configurations, and various coupling regimes to reservoirs are considered. We reveal that effective charge trapping occurs for particular regimes of coupling to the reservoir when more than two dots form a ring structure with the C_N spatial symmetry. We reveal that the effective charge trapping caused by the C_N spatial symmetry of N coupled QDs depends on the number of dots and the way of coupling to the reservoirs. We demonstrate that the charge trapping effect is directly connected with the formation of dark states, which are not coupled to reservoirs due to the system spatial symmetry C_N. We also reveal the symmetry blockade of the tunneling current caused by the presence of dark states.     

Electromagnetic solitons in a system of quantum dots taking into account the Hubbard interaction

We consider the Maxwell equations for an electromagnetic field propagating in a solid with a three-dimensional superlattice of quantum dots linked by strong tunneling along one axis, where electrons with different spin projections are affected by the strong Coulomb repulsion at a single site. We obtain a phenomenological equation in the form of the classical 1+1-dimensional sine-Gordon equation. Electrons are considered within the framework of quantum formalism taking into account the changes in the dispersion law provided by the presence of Coulomb interactions. The phenomenological equation is solved numerically, and the influence of Coulomb repulsion and the degree of band population on the propagation of ultra-short optical pulses is analyzed.     

Optical imaging of electrical carrier injection into individual InAs quantum dots

We image the micro-electroluminescence (EL) spectra of self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in the intrinsic region of a GaAs p-i-n diode and demonstrate optical detection of carrier injection into a single QD. Tunneling of electrons and holes into the QDs at bias voltages below the flat-band condition leads to a spectrum of sharp EL lines from a small number of bright spots on the diode surface, characteristic of emission from individual QDs. We explain this behavior in terms of Coulomb interaction effects and the selective excitation of a small number of QDs within the ensemble due to preferential tunneling paths for carriers.     

Phononless hopping conduction in two-dimensional layers of quantum dots

Regularities are studied in charge transport due to the hopping conduction of holes along two-dimensional layers of Ge quantum dots in Si. It is shown that the temperature dependence of the conductivity obeys the Efros-Shklovskii law. It is found that the effective localization radius of charge carriers in quantum dots varies nonmonotonically upon filling quantum dots with holes, which is explained by the successive filling of electron shells. The preexponential factor of the hopping conductivity ceases to depend on temperature at low temperatures (T<10 K) and oscillates as the degree of filling quantum dots with holes varies, assuming values divisible by the conductance quantum e²/h. The results obtained indicate that a transition from phonon-assisted hopping conduction to phononless charge transfer occurs as the temperature decreases. The Coulomb interaction of localized charge carriers has a dominant role in these phononless processes.