Electron correlations in coupled quantum dots

Abstract

The quantum states of two electrons in a pair of coupled quantum dots confined by heterostructures of compound semiconductors were calculated. As the physical parameters were changed various quantum states of electrons were obtained. The correlation between electrons in these quantum states is analyzed using the mean distance between electrons and its variance. When the quantum states include quadruple degenerate ground states, electrons are localized on each quantum dot and all kinetic movement except spin is frozen. This suggests that a Mott insulator phase will appear in a bulk array of coupled quantum dots. Because coupled quantum dot arrays can be assembled to include both metallic regions and insulating regions without changing the density of electrons, they have great potential in applications for future electron devices.