Kondo effect in a one-electron double quantum dot: Oscillations of the Kondo current in a weak magnetic field

We present transport measurements of the Kondo effect in a double quantum dot charged with only one or two electrons, respectively. For the one electron case we observe a surprising quasi-periodic oscillation of the Kondo conductance as a function of a small perpendicular magnetic field |B| \lesssim 50mT. We discuss possible explanations of this effect and interpret it by means of a fine tuning of the energy mismatch of the single dot levels of the two quantum dots. The observed degree of control implies important consequences for applications in quantum information processing

An electrostatically defined serial triple quantum dot charged with few electrons

A serial triple quantum dot (TQD) electrostatically defined in a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure is characterized by using a nearby quantum point contact as charge detector. Ground state stability diagrams demonstrate control in the regime of few electrons charging the TQD. An electrostatic model is developed to determine the ground state charge configurations of the TQD. Numerical calculations are compared with experimental results. In addition, the tunneling conductance through all three quantum dots in series is studied. Quantum cellular automata processes are identified, which are where charge reconfiguration between two dots occurs in response to the addition of an electron in the third dot.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure

Mature natural killer cell and lymphoid tissue–inducing cell development requires Id2-mediated suppression of E protein activity

The Id2 transcriptional repressor is essential for development of natural killer (NK) cells, lymphoid tissue–inducing (LTi) cells, and secondary lymphoid tissues. Id2 was proposed to regulate NK and LTi lineage specification from multipotent progenitors through suppression of E proteins. We report that NK cell progenitors are not reduced in the bone marrow (BM) of Id2−/− mice, demonstrating that Id2 is not essential for NK lineage specification. Rather, Id2 is required for development of mature (m) NK cells. We define the mechanism by which Id2 functions by showing that a reduction in E protein activity, through deletion of E2A, overcomes the need for Id2 in development of BM mNK cells, LTi cells, and secondary lymphoid tissues. However, mNK cells are not restored in the blood or spleen of Id2−/−E2A−/− mice, suggesting a role for Id2 in suppression of alternative E proteins after maturation. Interestingly, the few splenic mNK cells in Id2−/− and Id2−/−E2A−/− mice have characteristics of thymus-derived NK cells, which develop in the absence of Id2, implying a differential requirement for Id2 in BM and thymic mNK development. Our findings redefine the essential functions of Id2 in lymphoid development and provide insight into the dynamic regulation of E and Id proteins during this process

Spin blockade in ground state resonance of a quantum dot

We present measurements on spin blockade in a laterally integrated quantum dot. The dot is tuned into the regime of strong Coulomb blockade, confining ~ 50 electrons. At certain electronic states we find an additional mechanism suppressing electron transport. This we identify as spin blockade at zero bias, possibly accompanied by a change in orbital momentum in subsequent dot ground states. We support this by probing the bias, magnetic field and temperature dependence of the transport spectrum. Weak violation of the blockade is modelled by detailed calculations of non-linear transport taking into account forbidden transitions.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Spin-splitting in the quantum Hall effect of disordered GaAs layers with strong overlap of the spin subbands

With minima in the diagonal conductance G_{xx} and in the absolute value of the derivative |dG_{xy}/dB| at the Hall conductance value G_{xy}=e^{2}/h, spin-splitting is observed in the quantum Hall effect of heavily Si-doped GaAs layers with low electron mobility 2000 cm^2/Vs in spite of the fact that the spin-splitting is much smaller than the level broadening. Experimental results can be explained in the frame of the scaling theory of the quantum Hall effect, applied independently to each of the two spin subbands.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Pseudo-spin Kondo effect versus hybridized molecular states in parallel Double Quantum Dots

A two quantum-dot device is coupled in parallel for studying the competition between the pseudo-spin Kondo effect and strongly hybridized molecular states. Cryogenic measurements are performed in the regime of weak coupling of the two dots to lead states under linear transport conditions. Detailed simulations verify the finding of the transition between the two different regimes.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure