Enhanced quantized current driven by surface acoustic waves

We present the experimental realization of different approaches to increase the amount of quantized current which is driven by surface acoustic waves through split gate structures in a two dimensional electron gas. Samples with driving frequencies of up to 4.7 GHz have been fabricated without a deterioration of the precision of the current steps, and a parallelization of two channels with correspondingly doubled current values have been achieved. We discuss theoretical and technological limitations of these approaches for metrological applications as well as for quantum logics.Comment: 3pages, 4eps-figure

Acoustoelectric current transport through single-walled carbon nanotubes

We have contacted single-walled carbon nanotubes after aligning the tubes by the use of surface acoustic waves. The acoustoelectric current has been measured at 4.2 K and a probing of the low-dimensional electronic states by the surface acoustic wave has been detected. By decreasing the acoustic wavelength resulting in an adjustment to the length of the defined carbon nanotube constriction a quantization of the acoustoelectric current has been observed.Comment: submitted to PR

Quantized charge transport through a static quantum dot using a surface acoustic wave

We present a detailed study of the surface acoustic wave mediated quantized transport of electrons through a split gate device containing an impurity potential defined quantum dot within the split gate channel. A new regime of quantized transport is observed at low RF powers where the surface acoustic wave amplitude is comparable to the quantum dot charging energy. In this regime resonant transport through the single-electron dot state occurs which we interpret as turnstile-like operation in which the traveling wave amplitude modulates the entrance and exit barriers of the quantum dot in a cyclic fashion at GHz frequencies. For high RF powers, where the amplitude of the surface acoustic wave is much larger than the quantum dot energies, the quantized acoustoelectric current transport shows behavior consistent with previously reported results. However, in this regime, the number of quantized current plateaus observed and the plateau widths are determined by the properties of the quantum dot, demonstrating that the microscopic detail of the potential landscape in the split gate channel has a profound influence on the quantized acoustoelectric current transport.Comment: 9 page

Quantized charge pumping through a quantum dot by surface acoustic waves

We present a realization of quantized charge pumping. A lateral quantum dot is defined by metallic split gates in a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure. A surface acoustic wave whose wavelength is twice the dot length is used to pump single electrons through the dot at a frequency f=3GHz. The pumped current shows a regular pattern of quantization at values I=nef over a range of gate voltage and wave amplitude settings. The observed values of n, the number of electrons transported per wave cycle, are determined by the number of electronic states in the quantum dot brought into resonance with the fermi level of the electron reservoirs during the pumping cycle.Comment: 8 page

Single-electron transport driven by surface acoustic waves: moving quantum dots versus short barriers

We have investigated the response of the acoustoelectric current driven by a surface-acoustic wave through a quantum point contact in the closed-channel regime. Under proper conditions, the current develops plateaus at integer multiples of ef when the frequency f of the surface-acoustic wave or the gate voltage Vg of the point contact is varied. A pronounced 1.1 MHz beat period of the current indicates that the interference of the surface-acoustic wave with reflected waves matters. This is supported by the results obtained after a second independent beam of surface-acoustic wave was added, traveling in opposite direction. We have found that two sub-intervals can be distinguished within the 1.1 MHz modulation period, where two different sets of plateaus dominate the acoustoelectric-current versus gate-voltage characteristics. In some cases, both types of quantized steps appeared simultaneously, though at different current values, as if they were superposed on each other. Their presence could result from two independent quantization mechanisms for the acoustoelectric current. We point out that short potential barriers determining the properties of our nominally long constrictions could lead to an additional quantization mechanism, independent from those described in the standard model of 'moving quantum dots'.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figures, to be published in a special issue of J. Low Temp. Phys. in honour of Prof. F. Pobel

Experimental investigation towards a periodically pumped single-photon source

Experiments towards a periodically pumped single-photon source are presented. The lateral piezoelectric field of a surface acoustic wave dissociates laser-generated two-dimensional excitons into electrons and holes. These carriers are separated by the wave potential and are transported over macroscopic length scales without recombining. When reaching a stress-induced quantum dot in the quantum well they periodically populate the zero-dimensional states and recombine, emitting single photons periodically in time according to the surface acoustic-wave frequency. We have successfully reduced the number of pumped quantum dots down to 100 and have detected a strong blinking photoluminescence signal. By further reducing the number of quantum dots down to 1 a periodically pumped single photon source could be realized.Peer reviewe

A numerical investigation of a piezoelectric surface acoustic wave interaction with a one-dimensional channel

We investigate the propagation of a piezoelectric surface acoustic wave (SAW) across a GaAs/Al$_X$Ga$_{1-X}$As heterostructure surface, on which there is fixed a metallic split-gate. Our method is based on a finite element formulation of the underlying equations of motion, and is performed in three-dimensions fully incorporating the geometry and material composition of the substrate and gates. We demonstrate attenuation of the SAW amplitude as a result of the presence of both mechanical and electrical gates on the surface. We show that the incorporation of a simple model for the screening by the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), results in a total electric potential modulation that suggests a mechanism for the capture and release of electrons by the SAW. Our simulations suggest the absence of any significant turbulence in the SAW motion which could hamper the operation of SAW based quantum devices of a more complex geometry.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Non-invasive probing of random local potential fluctuations in ZnCdSe/ZnSe quantum wells

Temperature dependence and recombination behavior of trapped charge carriers in ZnCdSe/ZnSe multiple quantum wells are investigated employing surface acoustic waves. These weakly perturb the carrier system, but remain highly sensitive even at small conductivities. Using this non-invasive probe we are able to detect persistent photoconductivity minutes after optical excitation. Measurement of exciting photon energies, the temperature dependence and ability to quench the conductivity with energies lower than the bandgap, support the notion of spatial separation of electrons and holes in the wells, due to random local potential fluctuations possibly induced by compositional fluctuations

Charge transport through single molecules, quantum dots, and quantum wires

We review recent progresses in the theoretical description of correlation and quantum fluctuation phenomena in charge transport through single molecules, quantum dots, and quantum wires. A variety of physical phenomena is addressed, relating to co-tunneling, pair-tunneling, adiabatic quantum pumping, charge and spin fluctuations, and inhomogeneous Luttinger liquids. We review theoretical many-body methods to treat correlation effects, quantum fluctuations, nonequilibrium physics, and the time evolution into the stationary state of complex nanoelectronic systems.Comment: 48 pages, 14 figures, Topical Review for Nanotechnolog

A Josephson Quantum Electron Pump

A macroscopic fluid pump works according to the law of Newtonian mechanics and transfers a large number of molecules per cycle (of the order of 10^23). By contrast, a nano-scale charge pump can be thought as the ultimate miniaturization of a pump, with its operation being subject to quantum mechanics and with only few electrons or even fractions of electrons transfered per cycle. It generates a direct current in the absence of an applied voltage exploiting the time-dependence of some properties of a nano-scale conductor. The idea of pumping in nanostructures was discussed theoretically a few decades ago [1-4]. So far, nano-scale pumps have been realised only in system exhibiting strong Coulombic effects [5-12], whereas evidence for pumping in the absence of Coulomb-blockade has been elusive. A pioneering experiment by Switkes et al. [13] evidenced the difficulty of modulating in time the properties of an open mesoscopic conductor at cryogenic temperatures without generating undesired bias voltages due to stray capacitances [14,15]. One possible solution to this problem is to use the ac Josephson effect to induce periodically time-dependent Andreev-reflection amplitudes in a hybrid normal-superconducting system [16]. Here we report the experimental detection of charge flow in an unbiased InAs nanowire (NW) embedded in a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). In this system, pumping may occur via the cyclic modulation of the phase of the order parameter of different superconducting electrodes. The symmetry of the current with respect to the enclosed magnetic flux [17,18] and bias SQUID current is a discriminating signature of pumping. Currents exceeding 20 pA are measured at 250 mK, and exhibit symmetries compatible with a pumping mechanism in this setup which realizes a Josephson quantum electron pump (JQEP).Comment: 7+ pages, 6 color figure