2,814 research outputs found
Selective coherent destruction of tunneling in a quantum-dot array
The coherent manipulation of quantum states is one of the main tasks required
in quantum computation. In this paper we demonstrate that it is possible to
control coherently the electronic position of a particle in a quantum-dot
array. By tuning an external ac electric field we can selectively suppress the
tunneling between dots, trapping the particle in a determined region of the
array. The problem is treated non-perturbatively by a time-dependent
Hamiltonian in the effective mass approximation and using Floquet theory. We
find that the quasienergy spectrum exhibits crossings at certain field
intensities that result in the selective suppression of tunneling.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PRB Rapid Com
Nonlocal Spin Transport as a Probe of Viscous Magnon Fluids
Magnons in ferromagnets behave as a viscous fluid over a length scale, the
momentum-relaxation length, below which momentum-conserving scattering
processes dominate. We show theoretically that in this hydrodynamic regime
viscous effects lead to a sign change in the magnon chemical potential, which
can be detected as a sign change in the nonlocal resistance measured in spin
transport experiments. This sign change is observable when the
injector-detector distance becomes comparable to the momentum-relaxation
length. Taking into account momentum- and spin-relaxation processes, we
consider the quasiconservation laws for momentum and spin in a magnon fluid.
The resulting equations are solved for nonlocal spin transport devices in which
spin is injected and detected via metallic leads. Because of the finite
viscosity we also find a backflow of magnons close to the injector lead. Our
work shows that nonlocal magnon spin transport devices are an attractive
platform to develop and study magnon-fluid dynamics
Lateral spin-orbit interaction and spin polarization in quantum point contacts
We study ballistic transport through semiconductor quantum point contact
systems under different confinement geometries and applied fields. In
particular, we investigate how the {\em lateral} spin-orbit coupling,
introduced by asymmetric lateral confinement potentials, affects the spin
polarization of the current. We find that even in the absence of external
magnetic fields, a variable {\em non-zero spin polarization} can be obtained by
controlling the asymmetric shape of the confinement potential. These results
suggest a new approach to produce spin polarized electron sources and we study
the dependence of this phenomenon on structural parameters and applied magnetic
fields. This asymmetry-induced polarization provides also a plausible
explanation of our recent observations of a 0.5 conductance plateau (in units
of ) in quantum point contacts made on InAs quantum-well structures.
Although our estimates of the required spin-orbit interaction strength in these
systems do not support this explanation, they likely play a role in the effects
enhanced by electron-electron interactions.Comment: Summited to PRB (2009
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