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.     

Phonon-assisted Kondo effect in single-molecule quantum dots coupled to ferromagnetic leads

Based on the infinite-U Anderson model spin-polarized transport through the tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) system of single-molecule quantum dot is investigated under the interplay of strong electron correlation and electron-phonon (e-ph) coupling. The spectral density and the nonlinear differential conductance are studied using the extended non-equilibrium Green's function method through calculating the dot-level splitting self-consistently. The results exhibit that a serial of peaks emerge on the two sides of the main Kondo peak for the antiparallel magnetic configuration of electrodes, while for the parallel case both the main and phonon-assisted satellite Kondo peaks all split up into two asymmetric peaks even at zero-bias. Correspondingly, the nonlinear differential conductance displays a set of satellite-peaks around the Kondo-peak in the presence of the e-ph interaction. Furthermore, extra maxima and minima appear in the TMR curve. The TMR alternates between the positive and the negative values along with the variation of bias voltage.     

Effect of inelastic electron-phonon interaction on tunneling magnetoresistance through ferromagnetic-organic molecule-ferromagnetic junction

We have studied the effect of inelastic electron-phonon interaction on the spin-dependent transport properties of a molecule, trans-polyacetylene (trans-PA), as a molecular bridge sandwiched between two ferromagnetic (FM) electrodes. The work is based on a tight-binding Hamiltonian model within the framework of a generalized Green’s function technique and relies on the Landauer-Büttiker formalism as the basis for studying the current-voltage characteristic of this system. We use the wide-band approximation for FM electrodes. It is shown that due to inelastic interactions, the spin currents increase in a finite value of voltage and tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) decreases compared with TMR obtained in the absence of phonons.     

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.     

Spin-dependent shot noise of inelastic transport through molecular quantum dots

Here we present a theoretical analysis of the effect of inelastic electron scattering on spin-dependent transport characteristics (conductance, current–voltage dependence, magnetoresistance, shot noise spectrum, Fano factor) for magnetic nanojunction. Such device is composed of molecular quantum dot (with discrete energy levels) connected to ferromagnetic electrodes (treated within the wide-band approximation), where molecular vibrations are modeled as dispersionless phonons. Non-perturbative computational scheme, used in this work, is based on the Green's function theory within the framework of mapping technique (GFT–MT), which transforms the many-body electron–phonon interaction problem into a single-electron multi-channel scattering problem. The consequence of the localized electron–phonon coupling is polaron formation. It is shown that polaron shift and additional peaks in the transmission function completely change the shape of considered transport characteristics.     

Effects of electric field and size on the electron-phonon interaction in a spherical quantum dot with impurity

The effects of electric field and size on the electron-phonon interaction with an on-center impurity in a Zn_1?x Cd _x Se/ZnSe spherical quantum dot are studied, taking into account the interactions with confined, half-space and surface optical phonons. In addition, the interaction between impurity and phonons has also been considered. The results show that the electron-confined, electron-half-space, and electron-surface optical phonon interaction energies are all negative. The electron-confined optical phonon interaction energy is weakened by the electric field, but the electron-half-space and electron-surface optical phonon interaction energies are strengthened by it. In particular, the electron-surface optical phonon interaction depends strongly on the electric field, and it will vanish when the electric field is absent. It is also found that the electron-confined optical phonon interaction and electron-impurity “exchange” interaction energies reach a peak values as the quantum dot radius increases and then gradually decrease, but the electron-half-space optical phonon interaction energy exponentially quickly approaches 0 as the quantum dot radius increases.     

Spin-flip effects in a parallel-coupled double quantum dot molecule

We investigate theoretically the electronic transport through a parallel-coupled double quantum dot (DQD) molecule attached to metallic electrodes, in which the spin-flip scattering on each quantum dot is considered. Special attention is paid to the effects of the intradot spin-flip processes on the linear conductance by using the equation of motion approach for Green’s functions. When a weak spin-flip scattering on each quantum dot is present, the single Fano peak splits into two Fano peaks, and the Breit–Wigner resonance may be suppressed slightly. When the spin-flip scattering strength on each quantum dot becomes strong, the linear conductance spectrum consists of two Breit–Wigner peaks and two Fano peaks due to the quantum interference effects. The positions and shapes of these resonant peaks can be controlled by using the magnetic flux through the quantum device.     

The phonon effects on the impurity states in cylindrical quantum wire with a finite confining potential

The variational method and the effective mass approximation are applied to calculate the binding energies of the hydrogenic impurity states in a cylindrical quantum wire with finite deep potential well. The phonon effects on the impurity states are considered by taking both the couplings of the electron-phonon and the impurity ion-phonon into account. The numerical results for the GaAs cylindrical quantum wire are given and discussed. It is found that the ion-phonon interaction reduces the impurity binding energy and supplies key contribution to the energy shift, but the electron-phonon coupling enhances the binding energy less. Longitudinal optical (LO) phonons play more important role than interface optical (IO) phonons in the impurity potential screening. The polaron effect caused by LO phonons is more important when the wire is thinner, otherwise the LO phonons are dominant for the thicker wires.     

Dual Space Analyzing Based on Symmetry Properties for Phonons of Si Quantum Dot

Phonon modes in spherical Si quantum dots (QDs) with up to 7.9 nm in diameter are calculated by using the projection operators of the group theory into valence force field model. The phonons of dot modes in each of five irreducible representations (symmetries) are classified by using a dual space analysis method. It is found that the bulk-like modes with localization radius much smaller than the dot‘s radius have clearly pronounced bulk specific-κdefinite bulk band (one in six modes). In Si dots of all sizes, each specific bulk-like dot mode has specific symmetry.TO dot modes and bulk-like X-derived TA and LA dot modes red-shift in frequency with decreasing dot size. There is almost not LO/TO mixing for bulk-like modes. As for the surface-like modes localized at the periphery of the dot,their eigenmodes have not a dominant bulk specific-κ point parentage or a dominant BZ parentage around some special point. They are a superposition of many bulk bands with κ from all over the bulk BZ. They have much significant mode mixing than the bulk-like phonons. The classification of dot modes based on the symmetry of group theory will bring advantageous to the discussion of Ramam spectrum, electron-phonon interaction and other phonon-assisted effects in QDs.     

Conductance of a Quantum Dot in the Presence of a Phonon Field

We theoretically investigate the electrical transport property of a quantum dot with longitudinal optical phonons. The conductance through the dot connected to two leads is calculated by the nonequilibrium Green function within the Landauer-Büttiker framework. The numerical examples of the conductance with different electron-phonon coupling strengths show that the presence of a phonon field typically results in the suppression of the main peak accompanied by some phonon side peaks. Both the main peak and the side peaks axe sensitive to the electron-phonon coupling strength, which is related to temperature. Our results for this system are consistent with some related previous works but the calculation is comparatively simple.     

库仑场对非对称量子点中强耦合极化子声子平均数的影响

采用线性组合算符和幺正变换方法研究库仑场对非对称量子点中强耦合极化子振动频率和声子平均数的影响。导出量子点中强耦合束缚极化子振动频率和声子平均数随量子点的横向和纵向有效受限长度,库仑束缚势和电子-声子耦合强度的变化关系。数值计算结果表明:非对称量子点中强耦合束缚极化子的振动频率和声子平均数随量子点的横向和纵向有效受限长度的减小而迅速增大。随库仑束缚势和电子-声子耦合强度的增加而增大。     

Ground State of a Polaron in a Symmetric Triangular Quantum Well

We study the effects of electron-phonon interaction on the electron ground state in a symmetric triangular quantum well, and calculate the ground state energy of an electron in the GaAs/Al0.96Ga0.04As triangular quantum well including the effects of the interaction between electrons and confined LO phonons by using a modified Lee-Low-Pines variational method. The electron wavefunction in the triangular well is chosen as the Airy function. The numerical results are given and discussed.     

非对称量子点中极化子的声子平均数

采用线性组合算符和幺正变换方法研究非对称量子点中强、弱耦合极化子的声子平均数的性质,导出了量子点中强、弱耦合极化子的声子平均数和振动频率随量子点的横向和纵向受限强度、电子-声子耦合强度的变化关系。对RbCl晶体进行数值计算,结果表明非对称量子点中强耦合极化子的振动频率和声子平均数随量子点的横向和纵向的受限强度的增强而迅速增大,随电子-声子耦合强度的增强而增大。     

声子色散对量子点中弱耦合磁极化子声子平均数的影响

利用线性组合算符和幺正变换相结合的方法,研究了声子色散对抛物量子点中弱耦合磁极化子电子周围光学声子平均数的影响。计及纵光学（ LO）声子色散,在抛物近似下导出了基态能量与量子点有效受限长度、声子色散系数、回旋共振频率以及电子－声子耦合常数之间的关系,电子周围光学声子平均数与声子色散系数以及电子－声子耦合常数的关系。数值计算结果表明在弱耦合情况下抛物量子点中磁极化子的基态能量随声子色散系数的增大而减小;电子周围光学声子平均数随声子色散系数增大而增大,随电子－声子耦合常数的增大而增大。     

声子色散对量子点中弱耦合磁极化子声子平均数的影响

利用线性组合算符和幺正变换相结合的方法,研究了声子色散对抛物量子点中弱耦合磁极化子电子周围光学声子平均数的影响．计及纵光学(LO)声子色散,在抛物近似下导出了基态能量与量子点有效受限长度、声子色散系数、回旋共振频率以及电子-声子耦合常数之间的关系,电子周围光学声子平均数与声子色散系数以及电子-声子耦合常数的关系．数值计算结果表明在弱耦合情况下抛物量子点中磁极化子的基态能量随声子色散系数的增大而减小;电子周围光学声子平均数随声子色散系数增大而增大,随电子-声子耦合常数的增大而增大．     

非对称量子点中磁极化子的声子平均数

采用线性组合算符方法研究了非对称量子点中强、弱耦合磁极化子的声子平均数的性质。导出了非对称量子点中强、弱耦合磁极化子的声子平均数和振动频率随量子点的横向和纵向受限强度,电子-声子耦合强度的变化关系。对RbCl晶体进行数值计算,结果表明非对称量子点中强、弱耦合磁极化子的声子平均数和振动频率随量子点的横向和纵向受限强度和电子-声子耦合强度的增大而迅速增大。     

T型双量子点分子Aharonov-Bohm干涉仪的电输运

利用非平衡格林函数方法, 理论研究T型双量子点分子Aharonov-Bohm (A-B)干涉仪的电荷及其自旋输运性质. 通过控制T型双量子点分子内量子点间有无耦合, 能够实现在同一电子能级位置处分别出现共振和反共振状态, 根据此性质, 能将体系设计成量子开关器件. 当将两个完全相同的T型双量子点分子分别嵌入A-B干涉仪两臂中时, 磁通取适当数值, 能够出现完全的量子相消干涉. 通过调节量子点能级、左右两电极间的偏压和Rashba自旋轨道相互作用强度, 可对体系自旋流进行调控. 关键词： 非平衡格林函数 T型双量子点分子 Aharonov-Bohm干涉仪 自旋输运     

Dual Space Analyzing Based on Symmetry Properties for Phonons fo Si Quantum Dot

Phonon modes in spherical Si quantum dots (QDs) with up to 7.9 nm in diameter are calculated by using the projection operators of the group theory into valence force field model. The phonons of dot modes in each of five irreducible representations (symmetries) are classified by using a dual space analysis method. It is found that the bulk-like modes with localization radius much smaller than the dot's radius have clearly pronounced bulk specific-k point parentage, T_λ(n, k_BZ, K_cut), from specific part of the Brillouin zone (BZ) (Γ-derived, X-derived etc.) and from definite bulk band (one in six modes). In Si dots of all sizes, each specific bulk-like dot mode has specific symmetry. The bulk TO(Γ)-like and the bulk LO(Γ)-like dot modes always have T₂ and A₁ symmetries, respectively. Except the bulk-A(Γ)-like dot modes of which the frequencies blue-shift as the dot size reducing, the bulk-like Γ-derived LO and TO dot modes and bulk-like X-derived TA and LA dot modes red-shift in frequency with decreasing dot size. There is almost not LO/TO mixing for bulk-like modes. As for the surface-like modes localized at the periphery of the dot, their eigenmodes have not a dominant bulk specific-k point parentage or a dominant BZ parentage around some special point. They are a superposition of many bulk bands with k from all over the bulk BZ. They have much significant mode mixing than the bulk-like phonons. The classification of dot modes based on the symmetry of group theory will bring advantageous to the discussion of Ramam spectrum, electron-phonon interaction and other phonon-assisted effects in QDs.     

Renormalization of the chemical potential due to multiphonon effects at the surface of metals

We study the relation between renormalization of the chemical potential due to multiphonon effects at the surface of Be(0001) and doping by solving the strong-coupling self-consistent equations of a two-dimensional(2D) electron-phonon interaction system.We present the quasiparticle dispersions and inverse lifetimes of a 2D electron system interacting with Einstein phonons under the different dopings(corresponding to chemical potentials).We find that the effect of electron-phonon interaction on electron structure is strongest at the half filling,but it has no effect on the chemical potential.However,the chemical potential shows distinct renormalization effects away from half filling due to the electron-phonon interaction.     

Relaxation and decoherence of orbital and spin degrees of freedom in quantum dots

The phonon induced mechanisms of relaxation/decoherence in quantum dots are analysed. A non-perturbative technique - a modification of the Davydov transformation appropriate to the localised particles is applied for solving the electron-phonon eigenvalue problem in a quantum dot at magnetic field presence. The decay rates for polaron relaxation via the anharmonicity induced channel are analysed in details. In particular, it is indicated that previous, of perturbative type, estimations of the anharminicity induced relaxation rates were too severe and after including the coherence effects they are of, at least, one order longer. The process of exciton dressing with phonons is also analysed as the unavoidable source of picosecond scale decoherence in optically driven nanostructures. A break-down of an instant Pauli spin blocking mechanism and a large enhancement of the Fröhlich constant for confined electrons are also addressed.