Periodic and Aperiodic Bunching in the Addition Spectra of Quantum Dot

We study electron addition spectra of quantum dots in a broad range of electron occupancies starting from the first electron. Spectra for dots containing <200 electrons reveal a surprising feature. Electron additions are not evenly spaced in gate voltage. Rather, they group into bunches. With increasing electron number the bunching evolves from occurring randomly to periodically at about every fifth electron. The periodicity of the bunching and features in electron tunneling rates suggest that the bunching is associated with electron additions into spatially distinct regions within the dots.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Submitted to PR

Disorder and interaction induced pairing in the addition spectra of quantum dots

We have investigated numerically the electron addition spectra in quantum dots containing a small number (N < 11) of interacting electrons, in presence of strong disorder. For a short-range Coulomb repulsion, we find regimes in which two successive electrons enter the dot at very close values of the chemical potential. In the strongly correlated regime these close additions, or pairing, are associated with electrons tunneling into distinct electron puddles within the dot. We discuss the tunneling rates at pairing, and we argue that our results are related to a phenomenon known as "bunching", recently observed experimentally.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Localization in Artificial Disorder - Two Coupled Quantum Dots

Using Single Electron Capacitance Spectroscopy, we study electron additions in quantum dots containing two potential minima separated by a shallow barrier. Analysis of addition spectra in magnetic field allows us to distinguish whether electrons are localized in either potential minimum or delocalized over the entire dot. We demonstrate that high magnetic field abruptly splits up a low-density droplet into two smaller fragments, each residing in a potential minimum. An unexplained cancellation of electron repulsion between electrons in these fragments gives rise to paired electron additions.Comment: submitted to Phys.Rev.Let

Topographic Mapping of the Quantum Hall Liquid using a Few-Electron Bubble

A scanning probe technique was used to obtain a high-resolution map of the random electrostatic potential inside the quantum Hall liquid. A sharp metal tip, scanned above a semiconductor surface, sensed charges in an embedded two-dimensional electron gas. Under quantum Hall effect conditions, applying a positive voltage to the tip locally enhanced the 2D electron density and created a ``bubble'' of electrons in an otherwise unoccupied Landau level. As the tip scanned along the sample surface, the bubble followed underneath. The tip sensed the motions of single electrons entering or leaving the bubble in response to changes in the local 2D electrostatic potential.Comment: 4 pages, 3 JPG figures, Revtex. For additional info and AVI movies, visit http://electron.mit.edu/st

A New Class of Resonances at the Edge of the Two Dimensional Electron Gas

We measure the frequency dependent capacitance of a gate covering the edge and part of a two-dimensional electron gas in the quantum Hall regime. In applying a positive gate bias, we create a metallic puddle under the gate surrounded by an insulating region. Charging of the puddle occurs via electron tunneling from a metallic edge channel. Analysis of the data allows direct extraction of this tunneling conductance. Novel conductance resonances appear as a function of gate bias. Samples with gates ranging from 1-170~$\mu$m along the edge display strikingly similar resonance spectra. The data suggest the existence of unexpected structure, homogeneous over long length scales, at the sample edge.Comment: 13 pages (revtex) including 4 figure

Imaging Transport Resonances in the Quantum Hall Effect

We use a scanning capacitance probe to image transport in the quantum Hall system. Applying a DC bias voltage to the tip induces a ring-shaped incompressible strip (IS) in the 2D electron system (2DES) that moves with the tip. At certain tip positions, short-range disorder in the 2DES creates a quantum dot island in the IS. These islands enable resonant tunneling across the IS, enhancing its conductance by more than four orders of magnitude. The images provide a quantitative measure of disorder and suggest resonant tunneling as the primary mechanism for transport across ISs.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PRL. For movies and additional infomation, see http://electron.mit.edu/scanning/; Added scale bars to images, revised discussion of figure 3, other minor change

Two-electron state in a disordered 2D island: pairing caused by the Coulomb repulsion

We show the existence of bound two-electron states in an almost depleted two-dimensional island. These two-electron states are carried by special compact configurations of four single-electron levels. The existence of these states does not require phonon mediation, and is facilitated by the disorder-induced potential relief and by the electron-electron repulsion only. The density of two-electron states is estimated and their evolution with the magnetic field is discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 1 fi