Yun-Pil Shim

Theory of spin, electronic, and transport properties of the lateral triple quantum dot molecule in a magnetic field

We present a theory of spin, electronic, and transport properties of a few-electron lateral triangular triple quantum dot molecule in a magnetic field. Our theory is based on a generalization of a Hubbard model and the linear combination of harmonic orbitals combined with configuration interaction method for arbitrary magnetic fields. The few-particle spectra obtained as a function of the magnetic field exhibit Aharonov-Bohm oscillations. As a result, by changing the magnetic field, it is possible to engineer the degeneracies of single-particle levels, and thus, control the total spin of the many-electron system. For the triple dot with two and four electrons, we find oscillations of total spin due to the singlet-triplet transitions occurring periodically in the magnetic field. In the three-electron system, we find a transition from a magnetically frustrated to a spin-polarized state. We discuss the impact of these phase transitions on the addition spectrum and the spin blockade of the lateral triple quantum dot molecule.

Theory of electronic properties and quantum spin blockade in a gated linear triple quantum dot with one electron spin each

We present a theory of electronic properties and the spin blockade phenomena in a gated linear triple quantum dot. Quadruple points where four different charge configurations are on resonance, particularly involving (1,1,1) configuration, are considered. In the symmetric case, the central dot is biased to higher energy and a single electron tunnels through the device when (1,1,1) configuration is resonant with (1,0,1),(2,0,1),(1,0,2) configurations. The electronic properties of a triple quantum dot are described by a Hubbard model containing two orbitals in the two unbiased dots and a single orbital in the biased dot. The transport through the triple quantum dot molecule involves both singly and doubly occupied configurations and necessitates the description of the (1,1,1) configuration beyond the Heisenberg model. Exact eigenstates of the triple quantum dot molecule with up to three electrons are used to compute current assuming weak coupling to the leads and non-equilibrium occupation of quantum molecule states obtained from the rate equation. The intra-molecular relaxation processes due to acoustic phonons and cotunneling with the leads are included, and are shown to play a crucial role in the spin blockade effect. We find a quantum interference-based spin blockade phenomenon at low source-drain bias and a distinct spin blockade due to a trap state at higher bias. We also show that, for an asymmetric quadruple point with (0,1,1),(1,1,1,),(0,2,1),(0,1,2) configurations on resonance, the spin blockade is analogous to the spin blockade in a double quantum dot.

Tunneling spectroscopy of spin-selective Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in a lateral triple quantum dot molecule

We present a theory of tunneling spectroscopy of spin-selective Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in a lateral triple quantum dot molecule. The theory combines exact treatment of an isolated many-body system with the rate equation approach when the quantum dot molecule is weakly connected to the leads subject to arbitrary source-drain bias. The tunneling spectroscopy of the many-body complex is analyzed using the spectral functions of the system and applied to holes in a quantum dot molecule. Negative differential conductance is predicted and explained as a result of the redistribution of the spectral weight between transport channels. It is shown that different interference effects on singlet and triplet hole states in a magnetic field lead to spin-selective Aharonov-Bohm oscillations.

Semiconductor-inspired design principles for superconducting quantum computing

Superconducting circuits offer tremendous design flexibility in the quantum regime culminating most recently in the demonstration of few qubit systems supposedly approaching the threshold for fault-tolerant quantum information processing. Competition in the solid-state comes from semiconductor qubits, where nature has bestowed some very useful properties which can be utilized for spin qubit-based quantum computing. Here we begin to explore how selective design principles deduced from spin-based systems could be used to advance superconducting qubit science. We take an initial step along this path proposing an encoded qubit approach realizable with state-of-the-art tunable Josephson junction qubits. Our results show that this design philosophy holds promise, enables microwave-free control, and offers a pathway to future qubit designs with new capabilities such as with higher fidelity or, perhaps, operation at higher temperature. The approach is also especially suited to qubits on the basis of variable super-semi junctions.

Artificial Haldane gap material on a semiconductor chip

We show how nanostructuring of a metallic gate on a field-effect transistor (FET) can lead to a macroscopic, robust and voltage controlled quantum state in the electron channel of a FET. A chain of triple quantum dot molecules created by gate structure realizes a spin-half Heisenberg chain with spin-spin interactions alternating between ferromagnetic and anti-ferromagnetic. The quantum state is a semiconductor implementation of an integer spin-one antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain with a unique correlated ground state and a finite energy gap, originally conjectured by Haldane. PACS numbers: 73.21.La,73.22.-f,03.67.-a

Coherent Transport Through Three Few Electron Quantum Dots

Magnetotransport measurements have been performed on a triple quantum ring structure at four specific locations (two quadruple points and two triple points) in the stability diagram. Surprisingly the experimental results indicate similar properties at all four points. Fourier transform analysis of the magnetoconductance data reveal several dominant and related periods. Theoretical calculations suggest that with improved resolution future experiments should reveal configuration specific magnetoconductance results in the few electron regime.