Controlled delocalization of electronic states in a multi-strand quasiperiodic lattice

Abstract

Finite strips, composed of a periodic stacking of infinite quasiperiodic Fibonacci chains, have been investigated in terms of their electronic properties. The system is described by a tight binding Hamiltonian. The eigenvalue spectrum of such a multi-strand quasiperiodic network is found to be sensitive on the mutual values of the intra-strand and inter-strand tunnel hoppings, whose distribution displays a unique three-subband self-similar pattern in a parameter subspace. In addition, it is observed that special numerical correlations between the nearest and the next-nearest neighbor hopping integrals can render a substantial part of the energy spectrum absolutely continuous. Extended, Bloch like functions populate the above continuous zones, signalling a complete delocalization of single particle states even in such a non-translationally invariant system, and more importantly, a phenomenon that can be engineered by tuning the relative strengths of the hopping parameters. A commutation relation between the potential and the hopping matrices enables us to work out the precise correlation which helps to engineer the extended eigenfunctions and determine the band positions at will.