Spin and charge polarization in quantum dot arrays

Abstract

AbstractThe role of spin and charge distribution in a planar semiconductor quantum dot array (square geometry) with two electrons is studied in the presence of a driver cell and magnetic nanoparticles located near two quantum dots providing a local magnetic field. We use an extended Hubbard model to describe the electrons in the cell, taking into account intra and intercell Coulomb interaction, intracell tunneling, Rashba spin‐orbit interaction while hopping, as well as the local magnetic interaction with the magnetic nanoparticles. We find that under physically suitable conditions, controlled by the driver, spin and charge cell polarization (spin‐switching effect) can be attained, which is fully tunable by an electrical mechanism. This effect can be useful for spintronics and/or quantum computation applications. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)