Kondo-assistant Aharonov-Bohm transport in a quantum dot-Majorana wire system

We investigate the Kondo-assistant Aharonov-Bohm (AB) transport in a Quantum dot (QD) coupled with a topological Majorana wire. We noted that the conductance exhibits sensitive dependence on the phase factor of AB ring when the wire-QD coupling strength changes. The DOS resonance split when the coupling strength changes from small to large. The current is determined by the Kondo transport characteristics presented by the quantum dots (QDs). Also, the transport results show different p-dependence properties under parallel and anti-parallel leads alignment. We believe that these results can be helpful for understanding the Majorana-QD coupling properties as well as the detection of the Majorana bound states.     

Controlling spin-dependent transport via inhomogeneous magnetic flux in double-dot Aharonov-Bohm interferometer

We study the spin-dependent electron transport through parallel coupled quantum dots (QDs) embedded in an Aharonov-Bohm (AB) interferometer connected asymmetrically to leads. Both the Rashba spin-orbit interaction (RSOI) inside one of the QDs, which acquires a spin-dependent phase factor in the tunnel-coupling strengths when the electrons flow through this arm of the AB ring, and an inhomogeneous magnetic flux penetrating the structure are taken into account. Due to the existence of the RSOI induced phase factor, magnetic flux and the interdot coupling, a spin-dependent Fano effect will arise. We pay special attention on the properties of the local density of states and the conductance when the electron phase factor is close to integer multiplies of a quantum of flux. It is shown that the roles and lifetimes of the bonding and antibonding states of the two spin components are very sensitive to the phase factor and can be well controlled accordingly. This manipulation of the spin degree of freedom relies on the existence of RSOI but can be fulfilled even when its strength is very weak. The proposed structure can be easily realized with present technology and might be of practical applications in spintronics devices and quantum computing.     

Inelastic effects in Aharonov-Bohm molecular interferometers

Inelastic effects arising from electron-phonon coupling in molecular Aharonov-Bohm (AB) interferometers are studied using the nonequilibrium Green's function method. Results for the magnetoconductance are compared for different values of the electron-phonon coupling strength. At low-bias voltages, the coupling to the phonons does not change the lifetime and leads mainly to scattering phase shifts of the conducting electrons. As a result of these dephasing processes, the magnetoconductance of the molecular AB interferometer becomes more sensitive to the threading magnetic flux as the electron-phonon coupling is increased, opposite to the behavior of an electric gate.     

Suppression of leakage effect of Majorana bound states in the T-shaped quantum-dot structure

We theoretically study the transport properties in the T-shaped double-quantum-dot structure, by considering the dot in the main channel to be coupled to the Majorana bound state(MBS) at one end of the topological superconducting nanowire.It is found that the side-coupled dot governs the effect of the MBS on the transport behavior. When its level is consistent with the energy zero point, the MBS contributes little to the conductance spectrum. Otherwise, the linear conductance exhibits notable changes according to the inter-MBS coupling manners. In the absence of inter-MBS coupling, the linear conductance value keeps equal to e~2/2 h when the level of the side-coupled dot departs from the energy zero point. However,the linear conductance is always analogous to the MBS-absent case once the inter-MBS coupling comes into play. These findings provide new information about the leakage effect of MBSs in quantum-dot structures.     

Nonadiabatic noncyclic geometric phase and ensemble average spectrum of conductance in disordered mesoscopic rings with spin-orbit coupling

We generalize Yang's theory from the U(1) gauge field to the non-Abelian U(1)xSU(2)(spin) gauge field. Based on this generalization and taking into account the geometric Pancharatnam phase as well as an effective Aharonov-Bohm (AB) phase in nonadiabatic noncyclic transport, we calculate the ensemble average Fourier spectrum of the conductance in disordered mesoscopic rings connected to two leads. Our theory can explain the experimental results reported by Morpurgo et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 1050 (1998)] more satisfactorily. We indicate that the observed splitting stems from the nonadiabatic noncyclic Pancharatnam phase and the effective AB phase, both being dependent on spin-orbit coupling.     

耦合Majorana束缚态T形双量子点中的Andreev反射

研究了连接在正常金属电极和超导电极之间的耦合Majorana束缚态(MBSs)T形双量子点结构中的Andreev反射.研究发现,对于T形双量子点结构,当入射能量等于边耦合量子点能级时Andreev反射电导出现Fano振荡,连接MBSs之后,零费米能附近出现一对新的Fano型振荡峰.如果忽略两个MBSs之间的相互作用,零费米能点的Andreev反射电导为定值1/2G_0(G_0=2e~2/h),不受量子点能级、双量子点之间耦合强度以及量子点与MBSs之间的耦合强度的影响.此外,在没有耦合MBSs的T形双量子点结构中,调节双量子点间的耦合强度可以使零费米能附近的Andreev反射电导出现由共振带向反共振带的转变,而耦合MBSs之后,又可以使反共振消失转而出现新的共振峰.     

Kondo correlations and the Fano effect in closed Aharonov-Bohm interferometers

We study the Fano-Kondo effect in a closed Aharonov-Bohm (AB) interferometer which contains a single-level quantum dot and predict a frequency doubling of the AB oscillations as a signature of Kondo-correlated states. Using the Keldysh formalism, the Friedel sum rule, and the numerical renormalization group, we calculate the exact zero-temperature linear conductance G as a function of the AB phase phi and level position epsilon. In the unitary limit, G(phi) reaches its maximum 2e(2)/h at phi = pi/2. We find a Fano-suppressed Kondo plateau for G(epsilon) similar to recent experiments.     

Quantum transport through a multi-quantum-dot-pair chain side-coupled with Majorana bound states

We investigate the quantum transport properties through a special kind of quantum dot(QD) system composed of a serially coupled multi-QD-pair(multi-QDP) chain and side-coupled Majorana bound states(MBSs) by using the Green functions method,where the conductance can be classified into two kinds:the electron tunneling(ET) conductance and the Andreev reflection(AR) one.First we find that for the nonzero MBS-QDP coupling a sharp AR-induced zero-bias conductance peak with the height of e~2/h is present(or absent) when the MBS is coupled to the far left(or the other) QDP.Moreover,the MBS-QDP coupling can suppress the ET conductance and strengthen the AR one,and further split into two sub-peaks each of the total conductance peaks of the isolated multi-QDPs,indicating that the MBS will make obvious influences on the competition between the ET and AR processes.Then we find that the tunneling rate ΓLis able to affect the conductances of leads L and R in different ways,demonstrating that there exists a ΓL-related competition between the AR and ET processes.Finally we consider the effect of the inter-MBS coupling on the conductances of the multi-QDP chains and it is shown that the inter-MBS coupling will split the zero-bias conductance peak with the height of e~2/h into two sub-peaks.As the inter-MBS coupling becomes stronger,the two sub-peaks are pushed away from each other and simultaneously become lower,which is opposite to that of the single QDP chain where the two sub-peaks with the height of about e~2/2h become higher.Also,the decay of the conductance sub-peaks with the increase of the MBS-QDP coupling becomes slower as the number of the QDPs becomes larger.This research should be an important extension in studying the transport properties in the kind of QD systems coupled with the side MBSs,which is helpful for understanding the nature of the MBSs,as well as the MBS-related QD transport properties.     

Spin-dependent conductance in FM/quantum-dot/FM tunneling system

We present a theoretical study of the spin-dependent conductance spectra in a FM/semiconductor quantum-dot (QD)/FM system. Both the Rashba spin-orbit (SO) coupling in the QD and spin-flip scattering caused by magnetic barrier impurities are taken into account. It is found that in the single-level QD system with parallel magnetic moments in the two FM leads, due to the interference between different tunneling paths through the spin-degenerate level, a dip or a narrow resonant peak can appear in the conductance spectra, which depends on the property of the spin-flip scattering. When the magnetizations of the two FM leads are noncollinear, the resonant peak can be transformed into a dip. The Rashba SO coupling manifests itself by a Rashba phase factor, which changes the phase information of every tunneling path and can greatly modulate the conductance. When the QD has multiple levels, the Rashba interlevel spin-flip effect appears, which changes the topological property of the structure. Its interplay with the Rashba phase can directly tune the coupling strengths between dot and leads, and can result in switching from resonance into antiresonance in the conductance spectra.     

Conductance in an Aharonov-Bohm Interferometer with Parallel-Coupled Double Dots

We present a theoretical study of the conductance in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer containing two coupled quantum dots. The interdot tunneling divides the interferometer into two coupled subrings, where opposite magnetic fluxes are threaded separately while the net flux is kept zero. Using the Green function technique we derive the expression of the linear conductance. It is found that the Aharonov-Bohm effect still exists, and when the level of each dot is aligned, the exchange of the Fano and Breit-Wigner resonances in the conductance can be achieved by tuning the magnetic flux. When the two levels are mismatched the exchange may not happen. Further, for some specific asymmetric systems where the coupling strengths between the two dots and the leads are not equal, the flux can change the Fano resonance into an antiresonance, which is absent in symmetric systems.     

Transport polygonal properties in a multi-terminal regular quantum ring with Rashba spin-orbit coupling

<正>Transport properties in a multi-terminal regular polygonal quantum ring with Rashba spin-orbit coupling(SOC) are investigated analytically using quantum networks and the transport matrix method.The results show that conductances remain at exactly the same values when the output leads are located at axisymmetric positions.However,for the nonaxisymmetrical case,there is a phase difference between the upper and lower arm,which leads to zero conductances appearing periodically.An isotropy of the conductance is destroyed by the Rashba SOC effect in the axisymmetric case. In addition,the position of zero conductance is regulated with the strength of the Rashba SOC.     

Variation of co-tunneling and Kondo effects by control of the strength of coupling between a vertical dot and a two-dimensional electron gas

We have fabricated a vertical quantum dot with lateral coupling, modulated by a split gate voltage, to a two-dimensional electron. We thereby control not only electron configurations but also the strength of coupling between the dot and the lateral lead, by applying gate voltages. We have measured the conductance enhancement when the applied bias exceeds the single-electron excitation energy, in the Coulomb blockade regime. This conductance enhancement disappears as the split gate voltage decreases (reducing the coupling). This indicates that this enhancement is caused by inelastic co-tunneling. Furthermore, we observed a conductance enhancement at zero source–drain bias with stronger coupling. An anomaly is observed that we attribute to Kondo resonance between the dot and the leads.     

Transport properties of a single-quantum dot Aharonov-Bohm interferometer

We consider a two-terminal Aharonov-Bohm (AB) interferometer with a quantum dot inserted in one path of the AB ring. We investigate the transport properties of this system in and out of the Kondo regime. We utilize perturbation theory to calculate the electron self-energy of the quantum dot with respect to the intradot Coulomb interaction. We show the expression of the Kondo temperature as a function of the AB phase together with its dependence on other characteristics such as the linewidth of the ring and the finite Coulomb interaction and the energy levels of the quantum dot. The current oscillates periodically as a function of the AB phase. The amplitude of the current oscillation decreases with increasing Coulomb interaction. For a given temperature, the electron transport through the AB interferometer can be selected to be in or out of the Kondo regime by changing the magnetic flux threading perpendicular to the AB ring of the system.     

Theoretical analysis of the transmission phase shift of a quantum dot in the presence of Kondo correlations

We study the effects of Kondo correlations on the transmission phase shift of a quantum dot coupled to two leads in comparison with the experimental determinations made by Aharonov-Bohm (AB) quantum interferometry. We propose here a theoretical interpretation of these results based on scattering theory combined with Bethe ansatz calculations. We show that there is a factor of 2 difference between the phase of the S-matrix responsible for the shift in the AB oscillations and the one controlling the conductance. Quantitative agreement is obtained with experimental results for two different values of the coupling to the leads.     

Quenched Fano effect due to one Majorana zero mode coupled to the Fano interferometer

We investigate the change of the Fano effect by considering one Majorana zero mode to couple laterally to the single-dot Fano interferometer. It is found that the Majorana zero mode quenches the Fano effect thoroughly and causes the conductance to be independent of the dot level, the dot-lead coupling, and the increase of the Majorana-dot coupling. As a result, the linear conductance becomes only related to the interlead coupling and the magnetic-flux phase factor. These results can be helpful for the detection of Majorana zero mode.     

Magnetic field symmetry and phase rigidity of the nonlinear conductance in a ring

We have performed nonlinear transport measurements as a function of a perpendicular magnetic field in a semiconductor Aharonov-Bohm ring connected to two leads. While the voltage-symmetric part of the conductance is symmetric in the magnetic field, the voltage-antisymmetric part of the conductance is not symmetric. These symmetry relations are compatible with the scattering theory for nonlinear mesoscopic transport. The observed asymmetry can be tuned continuously by changing the gate voltages near the arms of the ring, showing that the phase of the nonlinear conductance in a two-terminal interferometer is not rigid, in contrast with the case for the linear conductance.     

Transmission of electron through an Aharonov－Bohm interferometer with a quantum dot in Coulomb blockade regime

We calculate conductance of an Aharonov－Bohm (AB) interferometer for which a single-level quantum dot in the Coulomb blockade regime is embedded in one of its arms. Using the Schr?dinger equations and taking into account the Coulomb interaction on the dot, we calculate conductance G as a function of flux φ threaded through the ring and as a function of gate voltage V applied to the dot. It is found that the AB oscillations of G(φ) depend on the particle occupation on the dot, controlled by V. If the system is closed, there is no loss of particles, G(φ) is periodic and G(φ)=G(-φ), satisfying the Onsager relation. In this case G(φ) can reach its maximum value, 2e^2/h, at the resonance. When the system is open, one has G(φ)≠G(-φ), G(φ) yields a phase shift which depends on the loss rate of electrons in this open system.     

Spin Accumulation in a Double Quantum Dot Aharonov-Bohm Interferometer

We investigate the spin accumulation in a double quantum dot Aharonov-Bohm （AB） interferometer in which both the Rashba spin-orbit （RSO） interaction and intradot Coulomb interaction are taken into account. Due to the existence of the RSO interaction, the electron, flowing through different arms of the AB ring, will acquire a spin-dependent phase factor in the tunnel-coupling strengths. This phase factor will induce various interesting interference phenomena. It is found that the electrons of the different spin directions can accumulate in the two dots by properly adjusting the bias and the intradot level with a fixed RSO interaction strength. Moreover, both the magnitude and direction of the spin accumulation in each dot can be conveniently controlled and tuned by the gate voltage acting on the dot or the bias on the lead.     

Spin-Hall transport in a two-dimensional electron system with magnetic impurities

The spin Hall transport properties in a two-dimensional electron system with both Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and magnetic impurities are investigated. Electrons are scattered by impurities through an exchange interaction that leads to spin flip-flop processes and so changes the spin Hall effect induced by the SOC. The spin Hall conductance is calculated in a 4-terminal system using the Landauer-Buttiker formula and Green function approach. In comparison with the simulation results on nonmagnetic impurities doping systems, our results reveal that the spin Hall conductance is still nonzero in a system with a large density of magnetic impurities and a finite intensity of the exchange interaction between the electrons and impurities, and its sign may be altered when the doping density and interaction strength are large enough.     

Contact conductance between graphene and quantum wires

The contact conductance between graphene and two quantum wires which serve as the leads to connect graphene and electron reservoirs is theoretically studied. Our investigation indicates that the contact conductance depends sensitively on the graphene-lead coupling configuration. When each quantum wire couples solely to one carbon atom, the contact conductance vanishes at the Dirac point if the two carbon atoms coupling to the two leads belong to the same sublattice of graphene. We find that such a feature arises from the chirality of the Dirac electron in graphene. Such a chirality associated with conductance zero disappears when a quantum wire couples to multiple carbon atoms. The general result irrelevant to the coupling configuration is that the contact conductance decays rapidly with the increase of the distance between the two leads. In addition, in the weak graphene-lead coupling limit, when the distance between the two leads is much larger than the size of the graphene-lead contact areas and the incident electron energy is close to the Dirac point, the contact conductance is proportional to the square of the product of the two graphene-lead contact areas, and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two leads.