Current correlations for the transport of interacting electrons through parallel quantum dots in a photon cavity

We calculate the current correlations for the steady-state electron transport through multi-level parallel quantum dots embedded in a short quantum wire, that is placed in a non-perfect photon cavity. We account for the electron–electron Coulomb interaction, and the para- and diamagnetic electron–photon interactions with a stepwise scheme of configuration interactions and truncation of the many-body Fock spaces. In the spectral density of the temporal current–current correlations we identify all the transitions, radiative and non-radiative, active in the system in order to maintain the steady state. We observe strong signs of two types of Rabi oscillations.     

Interacting electrons in quantum dots

The ground states of N-electron parabolic quantum dots in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field are investigated. Rigorous lower bounds to the ground-state energies are obtained. It is shown that our lower bounds agree well with the results of exact diagonalization. Analytic results for the lower bounds to the ground-state energies of the quantum dots in a strong magnetic field (known as electron molecule) agree very well with numerically calculated lower bounds.     

Planar Dirac electrons in magnetic quantum dots

In this paper, we explore the size- and mass-dependent energy spectra and the electronic correlation of two- and three-electron graphene magnetic quantum dots. It is found that only the magnetic dots with large size can well confine the electrons. For large graphene magnetic dots with massless (ultra-relativity) electrons, the energy level structures of two Dirac electrons and even the ground state spin and angular momentum of three electrons are quite different from those of the usual semiconductor quantum dots. Also we reveal that such differences are not due to the magnetic confinement but originate from the character of the Coulomb interaction of two-component electronic wavefunctions in graphene. We reveal that the increase of the mass leads to both the crossover of the energy spectrum structures from the ultra-relativity to non-relativity ones and the increasing of the crystallization. The results are helpful for the understanding of the mass and size effects and may be useful in controlling the few-electron states in graphene-based nanodevices.     

Thermopower in parallel double quantum dots with Rashba spin-orbit interaction

Based on the Green’s function technique and the equation of motion approach,this paper theoretically studies the thermoelectric effect in parallel coupled double quantum dots (DQDs),in which Rashba spin-orbit interaction is taken into account.Rashba spin-orbit interaction contributions,even in a magnetic field,are exhibited obviously in the double quantum dots system for the thermoelectric effect.The periodic oscillation of thermopower can be controlled by tunning the Rashba spin-orbit interaction induced phase.The interesting spin-dependent thermoelectric effects will arise which has important influence on thermoelectric properties of the studied system.     

Full configuration interaction studies of phonon and photon transition rates in semiconductor quantum dots

Quantum chemical methods originally developed for studying atomic and molecular systems can be applied successfully to the study of few-body electron-hole systems in semiconductor nanostructures. A new computational approach is presented for studying the energetics and dynamics of interacting electrons and holes in a semiconductor quantum dot. The electron-hole system is described by a two-band effective mass Hamiltonian. The Hamiltonian is diagonalized in a configuration state function basis constructed as antisymmetric products of the electron one-particle functions and antisymmetric products of the hole one-particle functions. The symmetry adapted basis set used for the expansion of the one-particle functions consists of anisotropic Gaussian basis functions. The transition probability between electron-hole states consisting of different numbers of carrier pairs is calculated at the full configuration interaction level. The results show that the electron-hole correlation affects the radiative recombination rates significantly. A method for calculating the phonon relaxation rates between excited states and the ground state of quantum dots is described. The phonon relaxation calculations show that the relaxation rate is strongly dependent on the energy level spacings between the states.     

Auxiliary field quantum Monte-Carlo simulation of interacting electrons in quantum dots

Accurate auxiliary field quantum Monte-Carlo (AFQMC) simulations of interacting electrons in quantum dots are reported. Two different formulations of this approach are presented both of which have been designed specifically for application to quantum dots. A deflation technique for calculation of anti-symmetrized traces is introduced. The auxiliary field is sampled with a hybrid algorithm and the artificial dynamics needed for use with the present formulation of AFQMC is described. The constrained path approximation is used to control the sign problem. Results for the ground state energy of two spin-polarised, interacting electrons are presented and are found to agree well with exact diagonalization results for a wide range of screening lengths. The sign problem does not appear in the regime of small screening length.     

Two photon absorption in Mn-doped ZnSe quantum dots

The nonresonant third order nonlinear optical properties of three different sized Mn²⁺-doped ZnSe quantum dots (QDs) are investigated. The nonlinear absorption is measured at 532 nm using 35 picosecond laser pulses in an open-aperture Z-scan setup. Two photon absorption (2PA) cross-section in ZnSe QDs is found to be three orders of magnitude higher than its bulk value. These nanostructures show size dependent nonlinear absorption coefficients. It is found that the 2PA further enhances with decrease in size of the QD and is twice that of its undoped counterpart due to change in the local electric field.     

Rotating electrons in quantum dots: Classical limit

We solve the problem of a few electrons in a two-dimensional harmonic confinement using a quantum mechanical exact diagonalization technique, on the one hand, and classical mechanics, on the other. The quantitative agreement between the results of these two calculations suggests that, at low filling factors, all the low energy excitations of a quantum Hall liquid are classical vibrations of localized electrons. The Coriolis force plays a dominant role in determining the classical vibration frequencies.     

On‐chip single photon sources using planar photonic crystals and single quantum dots

We review the basic light‐matter interactions and optical properties of chip‐based single photon sources, that are enabled by integrating single quantum dots with planar photonic crystals. A theoretical framework is presented that allows one to connect to a wide range of quantum light propagation effects in a physically intuitive and straightforward way. We focus on the important mechanisms of enhanced spontaneous emission, and efficient photon extraction, using all‐integrated photonic crystal components including waveguides, cavities, quantum dots and output couplers. The limitations, challenges, and exciting prospects of developing on‐chip quantum light sources using integrated photonic crystal structures are discussed.     

Spin-dependent Kondo effect induced by Rashba spin-orbit interaction in parallel coupled double quantum dots

Electronic transport through parallel coupled double quantum dots (DQD) with Rashba spin-orbit (RSO) interaction is investigated in Kondo regime by means of the slave-boson mean field approximation at zero temperature. By the co-action of the phase factor deduced by RSO interaction and the magnetic flux penetrating the parallel DQD, an interesting spin-dependent Kondo effect emerges. The molecular state representation theory is used to obtain a detailed understanding of the spin-dependent Kondo effect. It is shown that Quantum interference between the bonding Kondo state and antibonding state, which is modulated by the RSO interaction, plays a crucial role to the density of states and the linear conductance. The magnitude of each spin component conductance can be modulated by the RSO interaction strength. The conductance of each spin component exhibits 4π-periodic function with respect to φR. Moreover, the swap operation in the parallel DQD system can be implemented by tuning the RSO interaction.     

Analysis of inelastic scattering processes of electrons by localized electrons in quantum dots

The inelastic Coulomb scattering rate 1/τ_in of conduction electrons has been theoretically evaluated in the presence of localized states such as quantum dots. By a diagrammatical method, we have formulated 1/τ_in and its relation to the conductivity σ_loc(ω) through localized states. The dependence of τ_in on temperature T is examined in the case that σ_loc(ω) follows the Mott's model. It is found that 1/τ_in varies as T²(ln Δ/T)^d+1 where d is the dimensionality and Δ is tunneling energy between the localized states in the asymptonic T = 0 limit, in agreement with Imry's calculation. It is also found that calculated 1/τ_in deviates from T²(ln Δ/T)^d+1 as T increases, suggesting the importance of correction term at high temperature.     

Correlated electrons in coupled quantum dots and related phenomena

Three topics related to correlated electrons in coupled quantum dots are discussed. The first is quasi-resonance between multi-electron states, which causes hitherto unremarked types of resonant absorption in coupled quantum dots. The second is electron tunneling through a Hubbard gap, which is induced by an increase in the density of electrons in a quantum-dot chain under an overall confining potential. The third is Mott transition in a two-dimensional quantum-dot array induced by an external electric field. In this system, the metal-insulator transition goes through a heavy electron phase in which the density of correlated electrons fluctuates.     

Effective interaction of electrons in quantum wells

Effects of electron-phonon interaction on the interaction between electrons in semiconductor quantum wells are considered. It is found that the direct Coulomb potential between electrons in a quantum well is smaller than that in bulk semicondutors. The antisymmetric modes of the confined bulk phonons and interface phonons have no contribution to the effective interaction of electrons. If a well is narrow enough, the effective interaction between electrons caused by interaction with interface phonons may exceed that by interaction with confined bulk phonons. In narrower wells the effective interaction potential of electrons produced by phonons is stronger, but decreases rapidly with increasing distance between electrons.     

Spin–spin interaction in magnetic semiconductor quantum dots

Self-assembled Cd(Mn)Se/Zn(Mn)Se quantum dots have been investigated by means of spatially and time-resolved magneto-optical spectroscopy. In such quasi zero-dimensional diluted magnetic semiconductors, the exchange interaction couples the spins of optically generated charge carriers with localized magnetic ion spins. We demonstrate that this can be used on the one hand to monitor nanoscale magnetization with a resolution of <100 μ_B by a purely optical technique and on the other hand to optically manipulate the magnetization in a semiconductor quantum dot.     

Single electron charging in parallel coupled quantum dots

We report low-temperature conductance measurements in the Coulomb blockade regime on two nominally identical tunnel-coupled quantum dots in parallel defined electrostatically in the two-dimensional electron gas of a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure. At low interdot tunnel coupling we find that the conductance measured through one dot is sensitive to the charge state of the neighboring dot. At larger interdot coupling the conductance data reflect the role of quantum charge fluctuations between the dots. As the interdot conductance approaches 2e²/h, the coupled dots behave as a single large dot.     

Current switch by coherent trapping of electrons in quantum dots

We propose a new transport mechanism through tunnel-coupled quantum dots based on the coherent population trapping effect. Coupling to an excited level by the coherent radiation of two microwaves can lead to an extremely narrow current antiresonance. The effect can be used to determine interdot dephasing rates and is a mechanism for a very sensitive, optically controlled current switch.     

Anisotropic interface contribution to the spin-orbit interaction in quantum wells

Experimental data on the anisotropy of electron spin resonance in a GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well have been interpreted. In has been shown that the spin-orbit interaction in quantum wells includes, in addition to the isotropic Bychkov-Rashba and anisotropic volume Dresselhaus contributions, the anisotropic contribution determined by the structure of interfaces.     

Exciton-phonon interaction in cylindrical semiconductor quantum dots

The exciton-longitudinal optical phonon interaction is theoretically investigated for the case of polar semiconductor cylindrical quantum dots embedded in semiconductor matrix. The theory is developed within the dielectric continuum model considering the Fröhlich interaction between electrons and confined bulk longitudinal optical phonons for a configurational interaction model of quantum dot. Representative longitudinal optical phonon mode for the exciton-phonon interaction is predicted for cylindrical InAs/GaAs quantum dots.