Excitation spectroscopy of few-electron states in artificial diatomic molecules

We study the excitation spectroscopy of few-electron, parallel coupled double quantum dots (QDs). By applying a finite source drain voltage to a double QD (DQD), the first excited states observed in nonequilibrium charging diagrams can be classified into two kinds in terms of the total effective electron number in the DQD, assuming a core filling. When there are an odd (even) number of electrons, one (two)-electron antibonding (triplet) state is observed as the first excited state. On the other hand, at a larger source drain voltage we observe higher excited states, where additional single-particle excited levels are involved. Eventually, we identify the excited states with a calculation using the Hubbard model and, in particular, we elucidate the quadruplet state, which is normally forbidden by the spin blockade caused by the selection rule.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Kondo effects in a triangular triple quantum dot with lower symmetries

The triangular triple quantum dot is an interesting system which can demonstrate various types of the Kondo effects, such as the one due to the local spin S=1 moment caused by the Nagaoka ferromagnetic mechanism and the SU(4) Kondo effect. We theoretically study the low-temperature properties and the Kondo energy scale of the triangular triple quantum dot, using the Wilson numerical renormalization group. We have explored a wide parameter region of the electron-filling and distortions which break the symmetry of an equilateral structure. Our results give a comprehensive overview of how the Kondo behavior varies in the different the regions in the wide parameter space of the triangular triple quantum dot.Comment: 18 pages; 21 figures (Figs.17 and 20 are added

Precise Coulomb wave functions for a wide range of complex l, eta and z

A new algorithm to calculate Coulomb wave functions with all of its arguments complex is proposed. For that purpose, standard methods such as continued fractions and power/asymptotic series are combined with direct integrations of the Schrodinger equation in order to provide very stable calculations, even for large values of |eta| or |Im(l)|. Moreover, a simple analytic continuation for Re(z) < 0 is introduced, so that this zone of the complex z-plane does not pose any problem. This code is particularly well suited for low-energy calculations and the calculation of resonances with extremely small widths. Numerical instabilities appear, however, when both |eta| and |Im(l)| are large and |Re(l)| comparable or smaller than |Im(l)|

Transport properties of two laterally coupled vertical quantum dots in series with tunable inter-dot coupling

We describe the electronic properties of a double dot for which the lateral coupling between the two vertical dots can be controlled in-situ with a center gate voltage (Vc) and the current flows through the two dots in series. When Vc is large and positive, the two dots merge. As Vc is made less positive, two dots are formed whose coupling is reduced. We measure charging diagrams for positive and negative source-drain voltages in the weak coupling regime and observe current rectification due to the Pauli spin blockade when the hyperfine interaction between the electrons and the nuclei is suppressed.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, accepted for Applied Physics Letter

Gate Adjustable Coherent Three and Four Level Mixing in a Vertical Quantum Dot Molecule

We study level mixing in the single particle energy spectrum of one of the constituent quantum dots in a vertical double quantum dot by performing magneto-resonant-tunneling spectroscopy. The device used in this study differs from previous vertical double quantum dot devices in that the single side gate is now split into four separate gates. Because of the presence of natural perturbations caused by anharmonicity and anistrophy, applying different combinations of voltages to these gates allows us to alter the effective potential landscape of the two dots and hence influence the level mixing. We present here preliminary results from one three level crossing and one four level crossings high up in the energy spectrum of one of the probed quantum dots, and demonstrate that we are able to change significantly the energy dispersions with magnetic field in the vicinity of the crossing regions.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. MSS-14 conference proceedings submitted to Physica

Full control of quadruple quantum dot circuit charge states in the single electron regime

We report the realization of an array of four tunnel coupled quantum dots in the single electron regime, which is the first required step toward a scalable solid state spin qubit architecture. We achieve an efficient tunability of the system but also find out that the conditions to realize spin blockade readout are not as straightforwardly obtained as for double and triple quantum dot circuits. We use a simple capacitive model of the series quadruple quantum dots circuit to investigate its complex charge state diagrams and are able to find the most suitable configurations for future Pauli spin blockade measurements. We then experimentally realize the corresponding charge states with a good agreement to our model.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Two level anti-crossings high up in the single-particle energy spectrum of a quantum dot

We study the evolution with magnetic field of the single-particle energy levels high up in the energy spectrum of one dot as probed by the ground state of the adjacent dot in a weakly coupled vertical quantum dot molecule. We find that the observed spectrum is generally well accounted for by the calculated spectrum for a two-dimensional elliptical parabolic confining potential, except in several regions where two or more single-particle levels approach each other. We focus on two two-level crossing regions which show unexpected anti-crossing behavior and contrasting current dependences. Within a simple coherent level mixing picture, we can model the current carried through the coupled states of the probed dot provided the intrinsic variation with magnetic field of the current through the states (as if they were uncoupled) is accounted for by an appropriate interpolation scheme.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Physica E in MSS 13 conference proceeding