XOR logic gate on electron spin qubits in quadruple coupled quantum dots

The spin-dependent localization of electrons in quadruple quantum dots (QD's) has been studied by the configuration interaction method. We have investigated two nanodevices that consist of laterally coupled quadruple QD's. We have shown that -- in both the nanodevices with suitably chosen parameters -- the exclusive OR (XOR) logic gate can be realized by all-electrical control with the readout of output via the spin-to-charge conversion. We have determined the nanodevice parameters that are optimal for the performance of the XOR logic gate.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Spin filtering effect generated by the inter-subband spin-orbit coupling in the bilayer nanowire with the quantum point contact

The spin filtering effect in the bilayer nanowire with quantum point contact is investigated theoretically. We demonstrate the new mechanism of the spin filtering based on the lateral inter-subband spin-orbit coupling, which for the bilayer nanowires has been reported to be strong. The proposed spin filtering effect is explained as the joint effect of the Landau-Zener inter-subband transitions caused by the hybridization of states with opposite spin (due to the lateral Rashba SO interaction) and the confinement of carriers in the quantum point contact region.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figure

Electrically controlled spin-transistor operation in helical magnetic field

A proposal of electrically controlled spin transistor in helical magnetic field is presented. In the proposed device, the transistor action is driven by the Landau-Zener transitions that lead to a backscattering of spin polarized electrons and switching the transistor into the high-resistance state (off state). The on/off state of the transistor can be controlled by the all-electric means using Rashba spin-orbit coupling that can be tuned by the voltages applied to the side electrodes.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

Lateral electron localization by the induced surface charge

We investigate the problem of the electron interacting with the charge induced on the metal or dielectric surface. We show that the interaction between the electron and the induced surface charge leads to the lateral confinement of the electron. As a result the electron propagates parallel to the surface not as a plane wave but as a wave packet of a Gaussian shape. The electron moving together with the induced charge can be treated as a new quasi-particle, which we call inducton. We discuss a possible experimental evidence for inductons in semiconductor nanostructures, metal-vacuum, and dielectric-vacuum interfaces.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Non-ballistic spin separator based on Y-shaped nanostructure with a quantum point contact

A proposal of a spin separator based on the spin Zeeman effect in Y-shaped nanostructure with a quantum point contact is presented. Our calculations show that the appropriate tuning of the quantum point contact potential and the external magnetic field leads to the spin separation of the current: electrons with opposite spins flow through the different output branches. We demonstrate that this effect is robust against the scattering on impurities. The proposed device can also operate as a spin detector, in which -- depending on the electron spin -- the current flows through one of the output branches.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Spin filter effect at room temperature in GaN/GaMnN ferromagnetic resonant tunneling diode

We have investigated the spin current polarization without the external magnetic field in the resonant tunneling diode with the emitter and quantum well layers made from the ferromagnetic GaMnN. For this purpose we have applied the self-consistent Wigner-Poisson method and studied the spin-polarizing effect of the parallel and antiparallel alignment of the magnetization in the ferromagnetic layers. The results of our calculations show that the antiparallel magnetization is much more advantageous for the spin filter operation and leads to the full spin current polarization at low temperatures and 35 % spin polarization of the current at room temperature.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Effect of current hysteresis on the spin polarization of current in a paramagnetic resonant tunneling diode

A spin-dependent quantum transport is investigated in a paramagnetic resonant tunneling diode (RTD) based on a Zn$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$Se/ZnBeSe heterostructure. Using the Wigner-Poisson method and assuming the two-current model we have calculated the current-voltage characteristics, potential energy profiles and electron density distributions for spin-up and spin-down electron current in an external magnetic field. We have found that -- for both the spin-polarized currents -- two types of the current hysteresis appear on the current-voltage characteristics. The current hysteresis of the first type occurs at the bias voltage below the resonant current peak and results from the accumulation of electrons in the quantum well layer. The current hysteresis of the second type appears at the bias voltage above the resonant current peak and is caused by the creation of the quasi-bound state in the left contact region and the resonant tunneling through this quasi-bound state. The physical interpretation of both the types of the current hysteresis is further supported by the analysis of the calculated self-consistent potential profiles and electron density distributions. Based on these results we have shown that -- in certain bias voltage and magnetic field ranges -- the spin polarization of the current exhibits the plateau behavior with the nearly full spin polarization. This property is very promising for possible applications in spintronics.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure

Spin transistor operation driven by the Rashba spin-orbit coupling in the gated nanowire

The theoretical description has been proposed for the operation of the spin transistor in the gate-controlled InAs nanowire. The calculated current-voltage characteristics show that the current flowing from the source (spin injector) to the drain (spin detector) oscillates as a function of the gate voltage, which results from the precession of the electron spin caused by the Rashba spin-orbit interaction in the vicinity of the gate. We have studied two operation modes of the spin transistor: (A) the ideal operation mode with the full spin polarization of electrons in the contacts, the zero temperature, and the single conduction channel corresponding to the lowest-energy subband of the transverse motion and (B) the more realistic operation mode with the partial spin polarization of the electrons in the contacts, the room temperature, and the conduction via many transverse subbands taken into account. For mode (A) the spin-polarized current can be switched on/off by the suitable tuning of the gate voltage, for mode (B) the current also exhibits the pronounced oscillations but with no-zero minimal values. The computational results obtained for mode (B) have been compared with the recent experimental data and a good agreement has been found.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figure

Periodicity of resonant tunneling current induced by the Stark resonances in semiconductor nanowire

The modification of the electronic current resulting from Stark resonances has been studied for the semiconductor nanowire with the double-barrier structure. Based on the calculated current-voltage characteristics we have shown that the resonant tunneling current is a periodic function of the width of the spacer layer. We have also demonstrated that the simultaneous change of the source-drain voltage and the voltage applied to the gate located near the nanowire leads to almost periodic changes of the resonant tunneling current as a function of the source-drain and gate voltages. The periodic properties of the resonant tunneling current result from the formation of the Stark resonance states. If we change the electric field acting in the nanowire, the Stark states periodically acquire the energies from the transport window and enhance the tunneling current in a periodic manner. We have found that the separations between the resonant current peaks on the source-drain voltage scale can be described by a slowly increasing linear function of the Stark state quantum number. This allows us to identify the quantum states that are responsible for the enhancement of the resonant tunneling. We have proposed a method of the experimental observation of the Stark resonances in semiconductor double-barrier heterostructures.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Intrinsic oscillations of spin current polarization in a paramagnetic resonant tunneling diode

A spin- and time-dependent electron transport has been studied in a paramagnetic resonant tunneling diode using the self-consistent Wigner-Poisson method. Based on the calculated current-voltage characteristics in an external magnetic field we have demonstrated that under a constant bias both the spin-up and spin-down current components exhibit the THz oscillations in two different bias voltage regimes. We have shown that the oscillations of the spin-up (down) polarized current result from the coupling between the two resonance states: one localized in the triangular quantum well created in the emitter region and the second localized in the main quantum well. We have also elaborated the one-electron model of the current oscillations, which confirms the results obtained with the Wigner-Poisson method. The spin current oscillations can lower the effectiveness of spin filters based on the paramagnetic resonant tunneling structures and can be used to design the generators of the spin polarized current THz oscillations that can operate under the steady bias and constant magnetic field.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, to be published in Phys.Rev.