Effects of thickness in quantum dots at strong magnetic fields

We study the effects of thickness on the ground states of two-dimensional quantum dots in high magnetic fields. To be specific, we assume the thickness to be small so that only the lowest state in the corresponding direction is occupied, but which however leads to a modification of the effective interaction between the electrons. We find the ground state phase diagram and demonstrate the emergence of new phases as the thickness is accounted for. Finally, the wave functional form and vortex structure of different phases is analyzed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Reduced density-matrix functional theory in quantum Hall systems

We apply reduced density-matrix functional theory to the parabolically confined quantum Hall droplet in the spin-frozen strong magnetic field regime. One-body reduced density matrix functional method performs remarkably well in obtaining ground states, energies, and observables derivable from the one-body reduced density matrix for a wide range of system sizes. At the strongly correlated regime, the results go well beyond what can be obtained with the density functional theory. However, some of the detailed properties of the system, such as the edge Green's function, are not produced correctly unless we use the much heavier two-body reduced density matrix method.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure

Optimal confinement potential in quantum Hall droplets

We find that the confinement potential of a few electron quantum dot can be tuned to significantly increase the overlap with certain quantum Hall trial wave functions. Besides manipulating inter-electron interaction, this approach may prove useful in quantum point contact experiments, which involve narrow constrictions.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Graphene: from materials science to particle physics

Since its discovery in 2004, graphene, a two-dimensional hexagonal carbon allotrope, has generated great interest and spurred research activity from materials science to particle physics and vice versa. In particular, graphene has been found to exhibit outstanding electronic and mechanical properties, as well as an unusual low-energy spectrum of Dirac quasiparticles giving rise to a fractional quantum Hall effect when freely suspended and immersed in a magnetic field. One of the most intriguing puzzles of graphene involves the low-temperature conductivity at zero density, a central issue in the design of graphene-based nanoelectronic components. While suspended graphene experiments have shown a trend reminiscent of semiconductors, with rising resistivity at low temperatures, most theories predict a constant or even decreasing resistivity. However, lattice field theory calculations have revealed that suspended graphene is at or near the critical coupling for excitonic gap formation due to strong Coulomb interactions, which suggests a simple and straightforward explanation for the experimental data. In this contribution we review the current status of the field with emphasis on the issue of gap formation, and outline recent progress and future points of contact between condensed matter physics and Lattice QCD.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures. Plenary talk given at the XXVIII International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (Lattice 2010), June 14-19, 2010, Villasimius, Sardinia, Ital

Quantum Hall droplet laterally coupled to a quantum ring

We study a two-dimensional cylindrically-symmetric electron droplet separated from a surrounding electron ring by a tunable barrier using the exact diagonalization method. The magnetic field is assumed strong so that the electrons become spin-polarized and reside on the lowest Fock-Darwin band. We calculate the ground state phase diagram for 6 electrons. At weak coupling, the phase diagram exhibits a clear diamond structure due to the blockade caused by the angular momentum difference between the two systems. We find separate excitations of the droplet and the ring as well as the transfer of charge between the two parts of the system. At strong coupling, interactions destroy the coherent structure of the phase diagram, while individual phases are still heavily affected by the potential barrier.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

Fractional periodicity and magnetism of extended quantum rings

The magnetic properties and nature of the persistent current in small flux-penetrated $t-t'-U$ rings are investigated. An effective rigid-rotator description is formulated for this system, which coincides with a transition to a ferromagnetic state in the model. The criteria for the onset of effective rigid rotation is given. The model is used to understand continuum model ground-state solutions for a 2D few-particle hard-wall quantum dot, where ferromagnetic solutions are found even without the Zeeman coupling to spin. After the onset of effective rigid rotation, a 97--98% correspondence can be determined between the lattice model and continuum model eigenstate results

Graphene: From materials science to particle physics

Since its discovery in 2004, graphene, a two-dimensional hexagonal carbon allotrope, has generated great interest and spurred research activity from materials science to particle physics and vice versa. In particular, graphene has been found to exhibit outstanding electronic and mechanical properties, as well as an unusual low-energy spectrum of Dirac quasiparticles giving rise to a fractional quantum Hall effect when freely suspended and immersed in a magnetic field. One of the most intriguing puzzles of graphene involves the low-temperature conductivity at zero density, a central issue in the design of graphene-based nanoelectronic components. While suspended graphene experiments have shown a trend reminiscent of semiconductors, with rising resistivity at low temperatures, most theories predict a constant or even decreasing resistivity. However, lattice field theory calculations have revealed that suspended graphene is at or near the critical coupling for excitonic gap formation due to strong Coulomb interactions, which suggests a simple and straightforward explanation for the experimental data. In this contribution we review the current status of the field with emphasis on the issue of gap formation, and outline recent progress and future points of contact between condensed matter physics and Lattice QCD

Magnetism in tunable quantum rings

We have studied the spin structure of circular four-electron quantum rings using tunable confinement potentials. The calculations were done using the exact diagonalization method. Our results indicate that ringlike systems can have oscillatory flips between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic behaviour as a function of the magnetic field. Furthermore, at constant external magnetic fields there were seen similar oscillatory changes between ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism when the system parameters were changed. Ackording to our results, the magnetism of quantum rings could be tuned by system parameters.We have studied the spin structure of circular four-electron quantum rings using tunable confinement potentials. The calculations were done using the exact diagonalization method. Our results indicate that ringlike systems can have oscillatory flips between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic behaviour as a function of the magnetic field. Furthermore, at constant external magnetic fields there were seen similar oscillatory changes between ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism when the system parameters were changed. According to our results, the magnetism of quantum rings could be tuned by system parameters.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, article. Typo correcte