Dynamic control of electronic states in a double quantum dot under weak dissipation conditions

The problem of the time evolution of an electron wave packet in a symmetric double quantum dot under the action of a strong alternating electric field and a slowly varying bias voltage is solved theoretically under the conditions when the electron subsystem can transfer its energy to a single resonator mode. It is shown that the possibility of energy exchange between the electron subsystem and the resonator does not hamper the formation of stable electronic states localized in the left or right quantum dot (i.e., polarized states possessing a positive or negative dipole moment). An adiabatic change in the bias voltage may alter the direction of the dipole moment of the given state (which corresponds to an electron transition from one quantum dot to the other).     

Disorder-mediated electron valley resonance in carbon nanotube quantum dots

We propose a scheme for coherent rotation of the valley isospin of a single electron confined in a carbon nanotube quantum dot. The scheme exploits the ubiquitous atomic disorder of the nanotube crystal lattice, which induces time-dependent valley mixing as the confined electron is pushed back and forth along the nanotube axis by an applied ac electric field. Using experimentally determined values for the disorder strength we estimate that valley Rabi oscillations with a period on the nanosecond time scale are feasible. The valley resonance effect can be detected in the electric current through a double quantum dot in the single-electron transport regime.     

Shot noise in a quantum dot coupled to non-magnetic leads: effects of Coulomb interaction

We study electron transport through a quantum dot, connected to non-magnetic leads, in a magnetic field. A super-Poissonian electron noise due to the effects of both interacting localized states and dynamic channel blockade is found when the Coulomb blockade is partially lifted. This is sharp contrast to the sub-Poissonian shot noise found in the previous studies for a large bias voltage, where the Coulomb blockade is completely lifted. Moreover, we show that the super-Poissonian shot noise can be suppressed by applying an electron spin resonance (ESR) driving field. For a sufficiently strong ESR driving field strength, the super-Poissonian shot noise will change to be sub-Poissonian.     

Current fluctuations in an interacting quantum dot

We calculate the counting statistics of electron transfer through an open quantum dot with charging interaction. A dot that is connected to leads by two single-channel quantum point contacts in an in-plane magnetic field is described by a Luttinger liquid with impurity at the Toulouse point. We find that the fluctuations of the current through this conductor exhibit distinctive interaction effects. Fluctuations saturate at high voltages, while the mean current increases linearly with the bias voltage. All cumulants higher than the second one reach at large bias a temperature independent limit.     

Current effects on high magnetic field resonances in a dot array

In recent studies of disordered quantum dot arrays, it was found that a re-entrant metal–insulator transition occurs in these structures as the gate voltage is varied, even though there is no change in carrier density or disorder. Here, we study resonances that appear with the quantum Hall effect in these dot arrays. Several resonances are observed on the side of the plateaus, which may be due either to charging of isolated islands or to transmission resonances in the quantum point contacts. Heating of the carriers causes these peaks to decrease with an energy relaxation time comparable to that of the dots themselves.     

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.     

Temperature-controllable spin-polarized current and spin polarization in a Rashba three-terminal double-quantum-dot device

We propose a Rashba three-terminal double-quantum-dot device to generate a spin-polarized current and manipulate the electron spin in each quantum dot by utilizing the temperature gradient instead of the electric bias voltage. This device possesses a nonresonant tunneling channel and two resonant tunneling channels. The Keldysh nonequilibrium Green's function techniques are employed to determinate the spin-polarized current flowing from the electrodes and the spin accumulation in each quantum dot. We find that their signs and magnitudes are well controllable by the gate voltage or the temperature gradient. This result is attributed to the change in the slope of the transmission probability at the Fermi levels in the low-temperature region. Importantly, an obviously pure spin current can be injected into or extracted from one of the three electrodes by properly choosing the temperature gradient and the gate voltages. Therefore, the device can be used as an ideal thermal generator to produce a pure spin current and manipulate the electron spin in the quantum dot.     

Large Negative Differential of Heat Generation in a Two-Level Quantum Dot Coupled to Ferromagnetic Leads

Heat current exchanged between a two-level quantum dot (QD) and a phonon reservoir coupled to it is studied within the nonequilibrium Green's function method. We consider that the QD is connected to the left and right ferromagnetic leads. It is found that the negative differential of the heat generation (NDHG) phenomenon, i.e., the intensity of the heat generation decreases with increasing bias voltage, is obviously enhanced as compared to that in single-level QD system. The NDHG can emerge in the absence of the negative differential conductance of the electric current, and occurs in different bias voltage regions when the magnetic moments of the two leads are arranged in parallel or antiparallel configurations. The characteristics of the found phenomena can be understood by examining the change of the electron number on the dot.     

Coherently controllable non-equilibrium charge accumulation inside a magnetic quantum dot: a non-equilibrium Green’s function approach

We have performed a non-equilibrium quantum transport calculations for a two-terminal mesoscopic system including a magnetic quantum dot. Using the non-equilibrium Green’s function technique, we have obtained electric current and charge distribution in the temperature range from 1 to 10 K as a function of magnetic field. Results indicate that the density of carriers essentially can be controlled by temperature and bias voltage.     

Large Negative Differential of Heat Generation in a Two-Level Quantum Dot Coupled to Ferromagnetic Leads

Heat current exchanged between a two-level quantum dot(QD) and a phonon reservoir coupled to it is studied within the nonequilibrium Green's function method. We consider that the QD is connected to the left and right ferromagnetic leads. It is found that the negative differential of the heat generation(NDHG) phenomenon,i.e.,the intensity of the heat generation decreases with increasing bias voltage,is obviously enhanced as compared to that in single-level QD system. The NDHG can emerge in the absence of the negative differential conductance of the electric current,and occurs in different bias voltage regions when the magnetic moments of the two leads are arranged in parallel or antiparallel configurations. The characteristics of the found phenomena can be understood by examining the change of the electron number on the dot.     

一种新型的高频半导体量子点单电子泵

除了直流负电压外,还在浅法刻蚀出的GaAs/AlGaAs量子线上的两个金属指形门上分别叠加两个相位相差π的正弦信号,从而对形成量子点的两个势垒作不等幅调制.在无源漏偏压的情况下,通过周期形成的量子点实现了单电子的搬运.由于新的半导体量子点单电子泵不是依赖库仑阻塞效应通过隧穿进行单电子输运,因此,该器件就不会受到固定隧穿时间引起的低工作频率限制.在1.7K温度下,频率达到3GHz仍然可以观测到量子化电流平台,对应的电流值达到0.5nA量级.这种新器件提供了实现高速度、高精度搬运单电子的另一种可能途径. 关键词： 单电子输运 单电子旋转门 单电子泵 量子化电流平台     

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.     

Bias-dependent bandwidth of the conductance in the presence of electron–phonon interaction

We study the electronic transport in the presence of electron–phonon interaction (EPI) for a molecular electronic device. Instead of mean field approximation (MFA), the related phonon correlation function is conducted with the Langreth theorem (LT). We present formal expressions for the bandwidth of the electron’s spectral function in the central region of the devices, such as quantum dot (QD), or single molecular transistor (SMT). Our results show that the out-tunneling rate depends on the energy, bias voltage and the phonon field. Besides, the predicted conductance map, behaving as a function of bias voltage and the gate voltage, gets blurred at the high bias voltage region. These EPI effects are consistent with the experimental observations in the EPI transport experiment.     

Excitonic Rabi oscillations in a quantum dot: local field impact

The influence of local fields on the excitonic Rabi oscillations in an isolated, arbitrary shaped quantum dot (QD) has been theoretically investigated. QD interaction with both a classical electromagnetic field and quantum light has been considered. In the classical light, time harmonic and ultrashort pulse excitations are analyzed. The general formalism has been formulated for quantum light and applied to the case of a Fock qubit. Noticeable modification of the Rabi oscillation dynamics induced by the local fields is predicted to be observable in QDs exposed to both classical and quantum light. In particular, the bifurcation and anharmonism in the Rabi oscillations have been revealed under time harmonic excitation and a dependence of the Rabi oscillation period on the QD depolarization has been obtained.     

Spin-flip shot noise in a quantum dot coupled to carbon nanotube terminals responded by a rotating magnetic field

We have investigated the spectral density of shot noise of the system with a quantum dot (QD) coupled to two single-wall carbon nanotube terminals, where a rotating magnetic field is applied to the QD. The carbon nanotube (CN) terminals act as quantum wires which open quantum channels for electrons to transport through. The shot noise and differential shot noise exhibit novel behaviors originated from the quantum nature of CNs. The shot noise is sensitively dependent on the rotating magnetic field, and the differential shot noise exhibits asymmetric behavior versus source-drain bias and gate voltage. The Fano factor of the system exhibits the deviation of shot noise from the Schottky formula. The super-Poissonian and sub-Poissonian shot noise can be achieved in different regime of source-drain bias.     

AC shot noise through a vibrating quantum dot

In this paper we investigate the joint effects of the electron-phonon interaction and an external alternating (ac) gate voltage on the spectral density of shot noise through a vibrating quantum dot system, by applying the Lang-Firsov canonical transformation and the Keldysh nonequilibrium Green's function (NGF) technique. We find that the effects of the electron-phonon and electron-photon interaction on the differential shot noise are different. The main resonant peak of the differential shot noise is decreased only when a time-dependent gate voltage is imposed on quantum dot. With the ac field amplitude increasing, the main resonant peak of the differential shot noise decreases. The Fano factor of the system, which exhibits the deviation of shot noise from the Schottky formula, is also studied. Super-Poissonian shot noise appears due to the photon absorption (emission) processes in the low bias voltage region.     

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     

基于GaAs/InAs-GaAs/ZnSe量子点太阳电池结构的优化

基于GaAs/InAs-GaAs/ZnSe的P-i-N量子点太阳电池结构, 根据光学原理和扩散理论建立了光生电流密度与膜层厚度相关的数学模型, 定量分析了量子点层厚度等参数对太阳电池性能的影响,以期达到提高量子 点太阳电池转换效率的目的.理论模拟表明:在i层厚度取3000 nm时,优化后P(GaAs)型、N(ZnSe)型层 薄膜的最佳膜厚为1541 nm, 78 nm, 并在单一波长下太阳电池转换效率为20.1%;同时量子 点体积和温度对于量子点太阳电池I-V特性也会产生影响, 当量子点体积和温度逐渐增大时, 开路电压呈现减小趋势,使得转换效率降低.     

Detection of single spin decoherence in a quantum dot via charge currents

We consider a quantum dot attached to leads in the Coulomb blockade regime that has a spin 1 / 2 ground state. We show that, by applying an ESR field to the dot spin, the stationary current in the sequential tunneling regime exhibits a new resonance peak whose linewidth is determined by the single spin decoherence time T2. The Rabi oscillations of the dot spin are shown to induce coherent current oscillations from which T2 can be deduced in the time domain. We describe a spin inverter which can be used to pump current through a double dot via spin flips generated by ESR.     

Electronic properties of a quantum dot formed by the potentials associated with the surface acoustic wave and constrictions

The electronic structure of dynamic quantum dots formed by surface acoustic waves potential and the confinement potential produced by gate voltage has been investigated within the spin-density-functional theory. We found the addition energy of this kind quantum dot in general decreases as the electron number increases, so the basic feature of the quantized acoustoelectric current with multi-plateaus can be reproduced. The addition energy needed for a second electron entering into the dynamic quantum dot is found to be about 2.21 meV, which is in good agreement with experimental estimations. Moreover, the formation of the Wigner molecule-like states is observed when the number of electrons in the dot exceeds three. By the calculated addition energy and the evolution of the electron density in the presence of a magnetic field, we also explained the influence of the magnetic field on the acoustoelectric current appeared in the experiments.