Ernesto Cota

ac-Driven double quantum dots as spin pumps and spin filters.

We propose and analyze a new scheme of realizing both spin filtering and spin pumping by using ac-driven double quantum dots in the Coulomb blockade regime. By calculating the current through the system in the sequential tunneling regime, we demonstrate that the spin polarization of the current can be controlled by tuning the parameters (amplitude and frequency) of the ac field. We also discuss spin relaxation and decoherence effects in the pumped current.

Spin-filtering through excited states in double-quantum-dot pumps

Recently it has been shown that ac-driven double quantum dots can act as spin pumps and spin filters. By calculating the current through the system for each spin polarization, by means of the time evolution of the reduced density matrix in the sequential tunneling regime (Born-Markov approximation), we demonstrate that the spin polarization of the current can be controlled by tuning the parameters (amplitude and frequency) of the ac field. Importantly, the pumped current as a function of the applied frequency presents a series of peaks which are uniquely associated with a definite spin polarization. We discuss how excited states participating in the current allow the system to behave as a bipolar spin filter by tuning the ac frequency and intensity. We also discuss spin relaxation and decoherence effects in the pumped current and show that measuring the width of the current versus frequency peaks allows us to determine the spin decoherence time

Quantum dynamics, dissipation, and asymmetry effects in quantum dot arrays

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Spin-polarized pumping in a double quantum dot

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CORRELATION AND SYMMETRY EFFECTS IN TRANSPORT THROUGH AN ARTIFICIAL MOLECULE

We study the role of dissipation and structural defects on the time evolution of quantum dot arrays with mobile charges under external driving fields. These structures, proposed as quantum dot cellular automata, exhibit interesting quantum dynamics which we describe in terms of equations of motion for the density matrix. Using an open system approach, we study the role of asymmetries and the microscopic electron-phonon interaction on the general dynamical behavior of the charge distribution (polarization) of such systems. We find that the system response to the driving field is improved at low temperatures (and/or weak phonon coupling), before deteriorating as temperature and asymmetry increase. In addition to the study of the time evolution of polarization, we explore the linear entropy of the system in order to gain further insights into the competition between coherent evolution and dissipative processes.

Bipolar spin filter in a quantum dot molecule

We study the pumping of spin-polarized electrons in a double quantum dot system with up to two electrons per dot, via an applied AC field and a constant magnetic field. The behaviour of the current through the double-dot system is studied as a function of the AC field and coupling to the leads, using a Markov master equation approach for the time evolution of the reduced density matrix. For up to two electrons in the system, we find that the formation of a spin-triplet state blocks the current through the device, and analyse possible solutions. When we incorporate three-and four-particle states, with up to two opposite spin electrons per dot, we find a regime where the pumping of spin-polarized electrons is realized through double occupancy states in each dot. This property is robust against spin-relaxation and decoherence processes which are taken into account phenomenologically. Finally we study the effects of applying a pulsed AC field and the possibility of the resolution of Rabi oscillations.

A simple way to understand the origin of the electron band structure

Spectral weights and current-voltage characteristics of an artificial diatomic molecule are calculated, considering cases where the dots connected in series are in general different. The spectral weights allow us to understand the effects of correlations, their connection with selection rules for transport, and the role of excited states in the experimental conductance spectra of these coupled double dot systems (DDS). An extended Hubbard Hamiltonian with varying interdot tunneling strength is used as a model, incorporating quantum confinement in the DDS, interdot tunneling as well as intra- and interdot Coulomb interactions. We find that interdot tunneling values determine to a great extent the resulting eigenstates and corresponding spectral weights. Details of the state correlations strongly suppress most of the possible conduction channels, giving rise to effective selection rules for conductance through the molecule. Most states are found to make insignificant contributions to the total current for finite biases. We find also that the symmetry of the structure is reflected in the I-V characteristics, and is in qualitative agreement with experiment. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}

Magnetic field and dissipation effects on the charge polarization in quantum cellular automata

We show that the tunable hybridization between two lateral quantum dots connected to a nonmagnetic current leads in a “hanging-dot” configuration that can be used to implement a bipolar spin filter. The competition between Zeeman, exchange interaction, and interdot tunneling (molecular hybridization) yields a singlet-triplet transition of the double dot ground state that allows spin filtering in Coulomb blockade experiments. Its generic nature should make it broadly useful as a robust bidirectional spin polarizer.

Dynamic behavior of asymmetric quantum dot cells

How the electron band structure appears in a one‐dimensional system using simple and intuitive arguments is discussed. The article presents both numerical and qualitative results.

Dissipative Dynamics in Quantum Dot Cell Arrays

We study the dynamic evolution of the charge distribution (polarization) of a 2/spl times/2 quantum-dot cell with two electrons in the presence of a time-dependent driver cell and a magnetic field. We describe the effects of the magnetic flux on the response of the basic dot cell, for fixed, and linear switching of the driver polarization. In the static case, we find that the magnetic field has a strong localizing effect, similar to the effect of asymmetry. For fixed tunneling, the polarization of the target cell increases with magnetic field, going through a maximum at a particular value of the magnetic flux through the cell. In the dynamic case, a ringing effect and a decrease in the final polarization value of the target cell are obtained as the magnetic field increases. The effects of temperature and asymmetry on these results are also analyzed.