Surface-acoustic-wave-induced transport in a double quantum dot

We report on nonadiabatic transport through a double quantum dot under irradiation of surface acoustic waves generated on chip. At low excitation powers, absorption and emission of single and multiple phonons are observed. At higher power, sequential phonon assisted tunneling processes excite the double dot in a highly nonequilibrium state. The present system is attractive for studying electron-phonon interaction with piezoelectric coupling.     

Frequency-selective single-photon detection using a double quantum dot

We use a double quantum dot as a frequency-tunable on-chip microwave detector to investigate the radiation from electron shot-noise in a near-by quantum point contact. The device is realized by monitoring the inelastic tunneling of electrons between the quantum dots due to photon absorption. The frequency of the absorbed radiation is set by the energy separation between the dots, which is easily tuned with gate voltages. Using time-resolved charge-detection techniques, we can directly relate the detection of a tunneling electron to the absorption of a single photon.     

Voltage-controlled storage and retrieval of an infrared-light pulse in a quantum-dot molecule

Dynamic storage and retrieval of a weak infrared (IR)-light pulse are investigated theoretically with feasible parameters in an asymmetric double quantum dot system, a quantum dot molecule (QDM). It is shown that, with a voltage-controlled tunneling, we are able to store and retrieve the IR signal pulse in this three-subband QDM medium by slowly switching off and on the tunneling. The scheme proposed may open up the electrical controllability of quantum optical information storage and retrieval, which is expected to be useful in quantum information science in an asymmetric double quantum dot controlled by voltage.     

Light emission properties in a double quantum dot molecule immersed in a cavity: Phonon-assisted tunneling

Two main mechanisms dictate the tunneling process in a double quantum dot: overlap of excited wave functions, effectively described as a tunneling rate, and phonon-assisted tunneling. In this paper, we study different regimes of tunneling that arise from the competition between these two mechanisms in a double quantum dot molecule immersed in a unimodal optical cavity. We show how such regimes affect the mean number of excitations in each quantum dot and in the cavity, the spectroscopic resolution and emission peaks of the photoluminescence spectrum, and the second-order coherence function which is an indicator of the quantumness of emitted light from the cavity.     

Inelastic tunneling of electrons through a quantum dot with an embedded single molecular magnet

We report a theoretical analysis of electron transport through a quantum dot with an embedded biaxial single-molecule magnet (SMM) based on mapping of the many-body interaction-system onto a one-body problem by means of the non-equilibrium Green function technique. It is found that the conducting current exhibits a stepwise behavior and the nonlinear differential conductance displays additional peaks with variation of the sweeping speed and the magnitude of magnetic field. This observation can be interpreted by the interaction of electron-spin with the SMM and the quantum tunneling of magnetization. The inelastic conductance and the corresponding tunneling processes are investigated with normal as well as ferromagnetic electrodes. In the case of ferromagnetic configuration, the coupling to the SMM leads to an asymmetric tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR), which can be enhanced or suppressed greatly in certain regions. Moreover, a sudden TMR-switch with the variation of magnetic field is observed, which is seen to be caused by the inelastic tunneling.     

Ultrafast spin dynamics and critical behavior in half-metallic ferromagnet: Sr2FeMoO6

We propose a measurement setup for detecting quantum noise over a wide frequency range using inelastic transitions in a tunable two-level system as a detector. The frequency-resolving detector consists of a double quantum dot which is capacitively coupled to the leads of a nearby mesoscopic conductor. The inelastic current through the double quantum dot is calculated in response to equilibrium and nonequilibrium current fluctuations in the nearby conductor, including zero-point fluctuations at very low temperatures. As a specific example, the fluctuations across a quantum point contact are discussed.     

Coupled quantum dots: manifestation of an artificial molecule

Transport spectroscopy reveals the microscopic features of few-electron quantum dots which justify the nameartificial atoms. New physics evolve when two quantum dots are coupled by a tunneling barrier. We study, both theoretically and experimentally, the tunneling spectroscopy on a double quantum dot. A detailed lineshape analysis of the conductance resonances proves that off-resonant coherent interdot tunneling governs transport through this system, while tunneling into the double quantum dot occurs resonantly. This coherent interdot tunneling witnesses the evolution of a delocalized electronic state which can be compared to a valence electron of thisartificial molecule.     

Tunneling current of the Coulomb-coupled quantum dots embedded in n-n junction

Taking account of the electron--electron (hole) and electron--hole interactions, the tunneling processes of the main quantum dot (QD) Coulomb-coupled with a second quantum dot embedded in n--n junction have been investigated. The eighteen resonance mechanisms involved in the tunneling processes of the system have been identified. It is found that the tunneling current depends sensitively on the electron occupation number in the second quantum dot. When the electron occupation number in the second dot is tiny, both the tunneling current peaks and the occupation number plateaus in the main QD are determined by the intra-resonance mechanism. The increase of the electron occupation number in the second dot makes the inter-resonance mechanism participate in the transport processes. The competition between the inter and intra resonance mechanisms persists until the electron occupation number in the second dot reaches around unity, leading to the consequence that the inter-resonance mechanisms completely dominate the tunneling processes.     

Pump-probe optical response of an asymmetric double quantum dot molecule

We study the interaction of an asymmetric double semiconductor quantum dot molecule with a weak probe field and a strong pump field. We show that the optical properties of the system are controlled by a gate voltage and the pump field. For example, we find that the application of the pump field leads to controlled probe absorption, optical transparency, and gain for weak tunneling rates, while for stronger tunneling rates optical gain disappears and absorption spectra with double peaks are formed.     

Cotunneling current through a two-level quantum dot coupled to magnetic leads: the role of exchange interaction

The cotunneling current through a two-level quantum dot weakly coupled to ferromagnetic leads is studied in the Coulomb blockade regime. The cotunneling current is calculated analytically under simple but realistic assumptions as follows: (i)?the quantum dot is described by the universal Hamiltonian, (ii)?it is doubly occupied, and (iii)?it displays a fast spin relaxation. We find that the dependence of the differential conductance on the bias voltage is significantly affected by the exchange interaction on the quantum dot. In particular, for antiparallel magnetic configurations in the leads, the exchange interaction results in the appearance of interference-type contributions from the inelastic processes to the cotunneling current. Such dependence of the cotunneling current on the tunneling amplitude phases should also occur in multi-level quantum dots weakly coupled to ferromagnetic leads near the mesoscopic Stoner instabilities.     

Control of the entanglement between triple quantum dot molecule and its spontaneous emission fields via quantum entropy

The time evolution of the quantum entropy in a coherently driven triple quantum dot molecule is investigated. The entanglement of the quantum dot molecule and its spontaneous emission field is coherently controlled by the gate voltage and the rate of an incoherent pump field. The degree of entanglement between a triple quantum dot molecule and its spontaneous emission fields is decreased by increasing the tunneling parameter.     

Shot noise of the spin inelastic tunneling through a quantum dot with single molecule-magnet

We have studied the quantum fluctuations of inelastic spin-electron scattering in quantum dot with an embedded biaxial single molecule-magnet and particularly investigated the zero-frequency shot noise and Fano factor in different magnetic fields. It is found that the shot noise and Fano factor exhibit a stepwise behaviour as bias increases in the presence of interaction between the electron and molecule-magnet for a weak magnetic field. As magnetic field becomes strong, a dip is displayed in the shot-noise-bias curve due to the suppression of inelastic shot noise caused by the quantum tunneling of magnetisation. Because of the spontaneous inelastic tunneling at zero bias, a small shot noise occurs, which results in the case of Fano factor F >> 1. Moreover, our results show that the sweeping speed can also influence the shot noise and Fano factor obviously.     

Shot-noise detection in a carbon nanotube quantum dot

An on-chip detection scheme for high frequency signals is used to detect noise generated by a quantum dot formed in a single wall carbon nanotube. The noise detection is based on photon assisted tunneling in a superconductor-insulator-superconductor junction. Measurements of shot noise over a full Coulomb diamond are reported with excited states and inelastic cotunneling clearly resolved. Super-Poissonian noise is detected in the case of inelastic cotunneling.     

Cotunneling-mediated transport through excited states in the Coulomb-blockade regime

We present finite-bias transport measurements on a few-electron quantum dot. In the Coulomb-blockade regime, strong signatures of inelastic cotunneling occur which can directly be assigned to excited states observed in the nonblockaded regime. In addition, we observe structures related to sequential tunneling through the dot, occurring after it has been excited by an inelastic cotunneling process. We explain our findings using transport calculations within the real-time Green's function approach, including diagrams up to fourth order in the tunneling matrix elements.     

Spin-dependent transport through quantum dot with inelastic interactions

Using the Keldysh nonequilibrium Green function method, we theoretically investigate the electron transport properties of a quantum dot coupled to two ferromagnetic electrodes, with inelastic electron-phonon interaction and spin flip scattering present in the quantum dot. It is found that the electron-phonon interaction reduces the current, induces new satellite polaronic peaks in the differential conductance spectrum, and at the same time leads to oscillatory tunneling magnetoresistance effect. Spin flip scattering suppresses the zero-bias conductance peak and splits it into two, with different behaviors for parallel and anti-parallel magnetic configuration of the two electrodes. Consequently, a negative tunneling magnetoresistance effect may occur in the resonant tunneling region, with increasing spin flip scattering rate.     

Telegraph noise in coupled quantum dot circuits induced by a quantum point contact

Charge detection utilizing a highly biased quantum point contact has become the most effective probe for studying few electron quantum dot circuits. Measurements on double and triple quantum dot circuits is performed to clarify a back action role of charge sensing on the confined electrons. The quantum point contact triggers inelastic transitions, which occur quite generally. Under specific device and measurement conditions these transitions manifest themselves as bounded regimes of telegraph noise within a stability diagram. A nonequilibrium transition from artificial atomic to molecular behavior is identified. Consequences for quantum information applications are discussed.     

Teleportation on a quantum dot array

We present a model of quantum teleportation protocol based on a double quantum dot array. The unknown qubit is encoded using a pair of quantum dots, with one excess electron, coupled by tunneling. It is shown how to create a maximally entangled state using an adiabatically increasing Coulomb repulsion between different dot pairs. This entangled state is exploited to perform teleportation again using an adiabatic coupling between itself and the incoming unknown state. Finally, a sudden separation of Bob's qubit allows a time evolution of Alice's, which amounts to a modified version of standard Bell measurement. A transmission over a long distance could be obtained by considering the entangled state of a chain of N coupled double quantum dots. The system is shown to be increasingly robust with N against decoherence due to phonons.     

Energy-dependent tunneling in a quantum dot

We present measurements of the rates for an electron to tunnel on and off a quantum dot, obtained using a quantum point contact charge sensor. The tunnel rates show exponential dependence on drain-source bias and plunger gate voltages. The tunneling process is shown to be elastic, and a model describing tunneling in terms of the dot energy relative to the height of the tunnel barrier quantitatively describes the measurements.     

Tunable Kondo effect in a double quantum dot coupled to ferromagnetic contacts

We investigate the effects induced by ferromagnetic contacts attached to a serial double quantum dot. Spin polarization generates effective magnetic fields and suppresses the Kondo effect in each dot. The superexchange interaction J(AFM), tuned by the interdot tunneling rate t, can be used to compensate the effective fields and restore the Kondo resonance when the contact polarizations are aligned. As a consequence, the direction of the spin conductance can be controlled and even reversed using electrostatic gates alone. Our results demonstrate a new approach for controlling spin-dependent transport in carbon nanotube double dot devices.