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.     

Single-dot spectroscopy via elastic single-electron tunneling through a pair of coupled quantum dots

We study the electronic structure of a single self-assembled InAs quantum dot by probing elastic single-electron tunneling through a single pair of weakly coupled dots. In the region below pinch-off voltage, the nonlinear threshold voltage behavior provides electronic addition energies exactly as the linear, Coulomb blockade oscillation does. By analyzing it, we identify the s and the p shell addition spectrum for up to six electrons in the single InAs dot, i.e., one of the coupled dots. The evolution of the shell addition spectrum with magnetic field provides Fock-Darwin spectra of the s and p shells.     

Coherent electronic properties of coupled two-dimensional quantum dot arrays

In this paper we review our recent study of coherent electronic properties of coupled two-dimensional quantum dot arrays using numerical exact-diagonalization methods on a Mott–Hubbard type correlated tight-binding model. We predict the existence of a novel kind of persistent current in a two-dimensionalisolatedarray of quantum dots in a transverse magnetic field. We calculate the conductance spectrum for resonant tunneling transport through a coherent two-dimensional array of quantum dots in the Coulomb Blockade regime. We also calculate the effective two-terminal capacitance of an array coupled to bias leads.     

The effect of the interdot Coulomb interaction on Kondo resonances in series-coupled double quantum dots

We theoretically investigate the effect of the interdot Coulomb repulsion on Kondo resonances in the series-coupled double quantum dot coupled to two ferromagnetic leads. The Hamiltonian of our system is solved by means of the slave-boson mean-field approximation, and the variation of the density of states, the transmission probability, the occupation number, and the Kondo temperature with the interdot Coulomb repulsion are discussed in the Kondo regime. The density of states is calculated for various interdot Coulomb repulsions with both parallel and antiparallel lead-polarization alignments. Our results reveal that the interdot Coulomb repulsion greatly influences the physical property of this system, and relevant underlying physics of this system is discussed.     

Background charges and quantum effects in quantum dots transport spectroscopy

We extend a simple model of a charge trap coupled to a single-electron box to energy ranges and parameters such that it gives new insights and predictions readily observable in many experimental systems. We show that a single background charge is enough to give lines of differential conductance in the stability diagram of the quantum dot, even within undistorted Coulomb diamonds. It also suppresses the current near degeneracy of the impurity charge, and yields negative differential lines far from this degeneracy. We compare this picture to two other accepted explanations for lines in diamonds, based respectively on the excitation spectrum of a quantum dot and on fluctuations of the density-of-states in the contacts. In order to discriminate between these models, we emphasize the specific features related to environmental charge traps. Finally we show that our model accounts very well for all the anomalous features observed in silicon nanowire quantum dots.     

Transport properties of quantum dots

Linear and nonlinear transport through a quantum dot that is weakly coupled to ideal quantum leads is investigated in the parameter regime where charging and geometrical quantization effects coexist. The exact eigenstates and spins of a finite number of correlated electrons confined within the dot are combined with a rate equation. The current is calculated in the regime of sequential tunneling. The analytic solution for an Anderson impurity is given. The phenomenological charging model is compared with the quantum mechanical model for interacting electrons. The current-voltage characteristics show Coulomb blockade. The excited states lead to additional fine-structure in the current voltage characteristics. Asymmetry in the coupling between the quantum dot and the leads causes asymmetry in the conductance peaks which is reversed with the bias voltage. The spin selection rules can cause a ‘spin blockade’ which decreases the current when certain excited states become involved in the transport. In two-dimensional dots, peaks in the linear conductance can be suppressed at low temperatures, when the total spins of the corresponding ground states differ by more than 1/2. In a magnetic field, an electron number parity effect due to the different spins of the many-electron ground states is predicted in addition to the vanishing of the spin blockade effect. All of the predicted features are consistent with recent experiments.     

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.     

Coupling a quantum dot, fermionic leads, and a microwave cavity on a chip

We demonstrate a hybrid architecture consisting of a quantum dot circuit coupled to a single mode of the electromagnetic field. We use single wall carbon nanotube based circuits inserted in superconducting microwave cavities. By probing the nanotube dot using a dispersive readout in the Coulomb blockade and the Kondo regime, we determine an electron-photon coupling strength which should enable circuit QED experiments with more complex quantum dot circuits.     

Proposal for direct measuring of the Majorana number in a topological superconductor using a quantum dot

We propose to directly measure the Majorana number for one-dimensional topological superconductors using a quantum dot. The setup consists of two topological superconducting wires with four Majorana zero modes, which are coupled to an external quantum dot. The measurement is achieved by utilizing the definition of the Majorana number, which is the charge-parity flipping when changing the boundary condition for the topological superconductor. We consider a control of the boundary condition with voltage gates. When the voltage on the gate are modulated sequentially, the boundary conditions changes and the parity of the superconducting state flips. We demonstrate that this parity flipping will change the electron occupation probability of the quantum dot, which reflects the value of the Majorana number.     

The decoherence of the triangular and Coulomb bound potential quantum dot qubit

We study the eigenenergies and eigenfunctions of the ground and first-excited states of an electron which is strongly coupled to an LO-phonon in a quantum dot with a triangular bound potential and Coulomb bound potential by using the Pekar variational method. This system may be used as a two-level qubit. Phonon spontaneous emission causes the decoherence of the qubit. Numerical calculations are performed on the decoherence rate as a function of the polar angle, the Coulomb binding parameter, the coupling strength, the confinement length of the quantum dot and the dispersion coefficient.     

Spin filters with Fano dots

We compute the zero bias conductance of electrons through a single ballistic channel weakly coupled to a side quantum dot with Coulomb interaction. In contrast to the standard setup which is designed to measure the transport through the dot, the channel conductance reveals Coulomb blockade dips rather then peaks due to the Fano-like backscattering. At zero temperature the Kondo effect leads to the formation of broad valleys of small conductance corresponding to an odd number of electrons on the dot. By applying a magnetic field in the dot region we find two dips corresponding to a total suppression in the conductance of spins up and down separated by an energy of the order of the Coulomb interaction. This provides a possibility of a perfect spin filter.Received: 6 November 2003, Published online: 2 April 2004PACS: 72.15.Qm Scattering mechanisms and Kondo effect - 73.23.Ad Ballistic transport - 72.25.-b Spin polarized transport     

Complete entanglement analysis on electron spins using quantum dot and microcavity coupled system

We present an entanglement analysis protocol on entangled electron spins using quantum dot (QD) and microcavity coupled system. Each quantum dot is placed in the microcavity and ancilla photon input-output process could be used to check the parity of the quantum dots. After the parity check process, the user only needs to measure the spin direction of the QD spin, and the state information can be readout completely. The feasibility of our scheme and the experimental challenge are discussed by considering currently available techniques.     

Interference Behaviors of Resonant Transport Through a Mesoscopic System with ac Responses

Time-dependent interference behaviors on currents transporting through a mesoscopic system are investigated by using the Keldysh nonequilibrium Green function technique. The system is composed of a quantum dot coupled with two electron reservoirs. The electrons in the quantum dot are perturbed by two microwave fields (MWFs) through gate. The MWFs cause the energy level splitting in the quantum dot to form multi-channel for the tunneling current, and these branches of current interfere to produce stable oscillation. The resulting oscillation of current is strongly associated with frequency relations between MWFs. The timedependent current is the consequence of resonant effects for electrons resonating with quantum dot state and with MWFs. We present numerical calculations for the cases where the Coulomb interaction U = 0. Negative temporal current and differential conductance are observed even if the dc bias is not small. We compare the results with corresponding quantities in the system perturbed by single MWF.     

Multiple resonances and Coulomb blockade splitting in a quantum dot-DNA composite

Inspired by the recent realizations of quantum dot (QD)-DNA conjugation, we study the spectral density of a magnetic impurity coupled to a mesoscopic semiconducting host. Using a combination of exact diagonalization technique and an analytic approach, we demonstrate that various types of resonances occur according to the relative position of impurity levels (IL) with respect to the host levels (HL). While the usual Coulomb peaks appear when the IL lie inside a band gap, with IL approaching HL and hybridization activated, they shift nonlinearly with the repulsion strength and even undergo splitting for a strong hybridization. When IL merge into HL, multiple resonances of a comblike structure are found along with a parity effect.     

Effects of spin relaxation on electron tunneling through single discrete levels in magnetic tunnel junctions

Electron tunneling through a single discrete level of a quantum dot, coupled to two ferromagnetic leads, is studied theoretically in the sequential tunneling regime. Electron correlations and spin relaxation processes on the dot are taken into account. It is shown that strong Coulomb correlations can enhance tunnel magnetoresistance in a certain bias range. The effect, however, is suppressed by spin-flip processes.     

Transport Characteristics of Mesoscopic Radio-Frequency Single Electron Transistor

The transport property of a quantum dot under the influence of external time-dependent field is investigated. The mesoscopic device is modelled as semiconductor quantum dot coupled weakly to superconducting leads via asymmetric double tunnel barriers of different heights. An expression for the current is deduced by using the Landauer-Buttiker formula, taking into consideration of both the Coulomb blockade effect and the magnetic field. It is found that the periodic oscillation of the current with the magnetic field is controlled by the ratio of the frequency of the applied ac-field to the electron cyclotron frequency. Our results show that the present device operates as a radio-frequency single electron transistor.     

Role of dynamic depolarization for the intersubband resonance in the localization regime

We investigate the electronic intraband absorption in quantum wells with a strong lateral random potential, realized for example by modulation doping with a thin spacer layer. In such systems, electrons become in-plane localized in isolated potential minima and behave like an inhomogeneous array of natural quantum dots. When excited with a coherent light field, the dots respond as individual oscillators, which are however coupled by dynamic dipole–dipole interactions. The absorption spectrum is then determined by the interplay of the single dot properties (related to the disorder potential) and the many-particle Coulomb interactions. Using a simple model for the single-particle states, we calculate the absorption spectrum as a function of the electron density. In the case of light polarized perpendicular to the layer, we find with increasing density a dramatic line narrowing (associated with a collective excitation of the electrons) and a depolarization blue shift. For in-plane polarized light, the peak is shifted to the red. Our theory also applies to far-infrared absorption experiments in artificial quantum dot arrays.     

Asymmetric quantum shot noise in quantum dots

We analyze the frequency-dependent noise of a current through a quantum dot which is coupled to Fermi leads and which is in the Coulomb blockade regime. We show that the asymmetric shot noise, as a function of detection frequency, shows steps and becomes super-Poissonian. This provides experimental access to the quantum fluctuations of the current. We present an exact calculation of the noise for a single dot level and a perturbative evaluation of the noise in Born approximation (sequential tunneling regime but without Markov approximation) for the general case of many levels with charging interaction.     

电子关联效应对平行双量子点系统磁输运性质的影响

从理论上研究了平行双量子点系统中的电子关联效应对该系统磁输运性质的影响. 基于广义主方程方法, 计算了通过此系统的电流、微分电导和隧穿磁阻. 计算结果表明: 电子自旋关联效应可以促发一个很大的隧穿磁阻, 而电子库仑关联效应不仅可以压制电子自旋关联效应, 还可以导致负隧穿磁阻和负微分电导的出现. 对相关的基本物理问题进行了讨论.     

Cavity‐Photon‐Induced High‐Order Transitions between Ground States of Quantum Dots

It is shown that quantum electromagnetic transitions to high orders are essential to describe the time‐dependent path of a nanoscale electron system in a Coulomb blockade regime when coupled to external leads and placed in a 3D rectangular photon cavity. The electronic system consists of two quantum dots embedded asymmetrically in a short quantum wire. The two lowest in energy spin degenerate electron states are mostly localized in each dot with only a tiny probability in the other dot. In the presence of the leads, a slow high‐order transition between the ground states of the two quantum dots is identified. The Fourier power spectrum for photon–photon correlations in the steady state shows a Fano type of resonance for the frequency of the slow transition. Full account is taken of the geometry of the multilevel electronic system, and the electron–electron Coulomb interactions together with the para‐ and diamagnetic electron–photon interactions are treated with step‐wise exact numerical diagonalization and truncation of appropriate many‐body Fock spaces. The matrix elements for all interactions are computed analytically or numerically exactly.