Nonmagnetic Quantum Dots Research Articles

Influence of an embedded quantum dot on the Josephson effect in the topological superconducting junction with Majorana doublets

One Majorana doublet can be realized at each end of the time-reversal-invariant Majorana nanowires. We investigate the Josephson effect in the Majorana-doublet-presented junction modified by different inter-doublet coupling manners. It is found that when the Majorana doublets couple indirectly via a non-magnetic quantum dot, only the normal Josephson effect occurs, and the fermion parity in the system just affects the current direction and amplitude. However, one magnetic field applied on the dot can induce the fractional Josephson effect in the odd-parity case. Next if the direct and indirect couplings between the Majorana doublets coexist, no fractional Josephson effect takes place, regardless of the presence of magnetic field. Instead, there almost appears the π-period-like current in some special cases. All the results are clarified by analyzing the influence of the fermion occupation in the quantum dot on the parity conservation in the whole system. We ascertain that this work will be helpful for describing the dot-assisted Josephson effect between the Majorana doublets.

Induced spin-accumulation and spin-polarization in a quantum-dot ring by using magnetic quantum dots and Rashba spin-orbit effect

The effect of magnetic contacts on spin-dependent electron transport and spin-accumulation in a quantum ring, which is threaded by a magnetic flux, is studied. The quantum ring is made up of four quantum dots, where two of them possess magnetic structure and other ones are subjected to the Rashba spin-orbit coupling. The magnetic quantum dots, referred to as magnetic quantum contacts, are connected to two external leads. Two different configurations of magnetic moments of the quantum contacts are considered; the parallel and the anti-parallel ones. When the magnetic moments are parallel, the degeneracy between the transmission coefficients of spin-up and spin-down electrons is lifted and the system can be adjusted to operate as a spin-filter. In addition, the accumulation of spin-up and spin-down electrons in non-magnetic quantum dots are different in the case of parallel magnetic moments. When the intra-dot Coulomb interaction is taken into account, we find that the electron interactions participate in separation between the accumulations of electrons with different spin directions in non-magnetic quantum dots. Furthermore, the spin-accumulation in non-magnetic quantum dots can be tuned in the both parallel and anti-parallel magnetic moments by adjusting the Rashba spin-orbit strength and the magnetic flux. Thus, the quantum ring with magnetic quantum contacts could be utilized to create tunable local magnetic moments which can be used in designing optimized nanodevices.

Electric field tuning of spin splitting in a quantum dot coupled to a semimagnetic quantum dot

We develop an approach for tuning the spin splitting and g-factor of a quantum dot by coupling it to semi-magnetic quantum dot and tuning the electric field. We show that spin splittings and g-factors of the states of a non-magnetic quantum dot coupled to semimagnetic quantum dot can be enhanced orders of magnitude. Evaluations are made for coupled CdTe/CdMnTe quantum dots. These effects are caused by electric field control of repulsion of spin sublevels in the non-magnetic dot due to tunnel coupling of quantum dots. Electric field control of spin splittings in quantum dots is of potential interest in connection with spin qubit rotations for quantum computation.

Paramagnetic shift in thermally annealed CdxZn1−xSe quantum dots

The photoluminescence of annealed CdxZn1−xSe quantum dots (QDs) under the influence of an external magnetic field has been studied in this paper. Post-growth annealing was performed for different annealing times. Above a critical annealing time, the QD luminescence shows a pronounced red-shift of the Zeeman split magnetic subcomponents. This observation is in contrast to the blue-shift caused by the diamagnetic behavior that is usually observed in non-magnetic QDs. We attribute our finding to the paramagnetism caused by the mixing of heavy and light hole states. Hence, post-growth thermal annealing treatment might be employed to render undoped epitaxial QDs intrinsically magnetic in a controlled manner. Two theoretical models were developed: a few-particle model to account for excitonic complex effects and a multiband calculation that describes the valence band hybridization. Contrasting the two models allowed us to unambiguously elucidate the nature of such an effect.

Efficiency of optical spin injection and spin loss from a diluted magnetic semiconductor ZnMnSe to CdSe nonmagnetic quantum dots

Magneto-optical spectroscopy in combination with tunable laser spectroscopy is employed to study optical spin injection from a diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) ZnMnSe into nonmagnetic CdSe quantum dots (QDs). Observation of a DMS feature in the excitation spectra of the QD photoluminescence polarization provides clear evidence for optical spin-injection from the DMS to the QDs. By means of a rate equation analysis, the injected spin polarization is deduced to be about 32% at $5\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{T}$, decreasing from 100% before the injection. The observed spin loss is shown to occur during the spin injection process including crossing the heterointerfaces and energy relaxation within the QDs.

Magneto-optical and tunable laser excitation spectroscopy of spin-injection and spin loss from Zn(Cd)MnSe diluted magnetic quantum well to CdSe non-magnetic quantum dots

Magneto-optical spectroscopy in combination with tunable laser spectroscopy is employed to study the effect of sample design on optical spin-injection efficiency from a Zn(Cd)MnSe diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) into non-magnetic CdSe quantum dots (QDs). Two samples with inverted growth sequence of the DMS and QD layers were grown for this purpose. Despite observation of clear evidence for exciton/carrier-injection from the DMS to the QDs in both structures, their spin-injection efficiency is markedly different. The structure grown with the QD layer topmost exhibits rather efficient spin-injection, while the structure grown with the DMS layer topmost does not show any sign of spin-injection. Even in the former case, the spin-polarization of the injected excitons/carriers is deduced to be about 32%, decreasing from 100% before the injection. The observed spin loss is shown to occur during the spin-injection across the heterointerfaces.

Theory of a magnetically controlled quantum-dot spin transistor

We examine transport through a quantum dot coupled to three ferromagnetic leads in the regime of weak tunnel coupling. A finite source-drain voltage generates a nonequilibrium spin on the otherwise nonmagnetic quantum dot. This spin accumulation leads to magnetoresistance. A ferromagnetic but current-free base electrode influences the quantum-dot spin via incoherent spin-flip processes and coherent spin precession. As the dot spin determines the conductance of the device, this allows for a purely magnetic transistorlike operation. We analyze the effect of both types of processes on the electric current in different geometries.

Valence-band mixing in neutral, charged, and Mn-doped self-assembled quantum dots

We analyze the optical emission of single II-VI quantum dots containing 0 or 1 magnetic atom (manganese) and a controlled number of carriers (0, $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$ electron). The emission of these quantum dots presents a large degree of linear polarization. This linear polarization is attributed to a valence-band mixing and we show that in nonmagnetic quantum dots combining both a shape anisotropy and an anisotropic in-plane strain distribution, the linear polarization direction of the exciton are controlled by an interplay between valence-band mixing and electron-hole (e-h) exchange interaction. Similarly, under strong transverse magnetic field, the direction of the linearly polarized emission of the charged excitons is simultaneously controlled by the valence-band mixing and the direction of the magnetic field. In quantum dots containing a Mn atom, the valence-band mixing allows simultaneous hole-Mn spin flips coupling bright and dark excitons. These spin flips are responsible for linearly polarized transitions in the emission of the charged excitons at zero magnetic field.

Exciton states in strongly coupled asymmetric semimagnetic double quantum dots

Exciton states in a pair of strongly coupled artificial asymmetric quantum dots (QDs) have been studied in magnetic fields up to B = 8T by means of photoluminescence spectroscopy. The QD molecules have been fabricated using a selective interdiffusion technique applied to asymmetric CdTe/(Cd,Mg,Mn)Te double quantum wells. The lateral confinement potential within the plane induced by the diffusion gives rise to effective zero-dimensional exciton localization. Incorporation of the Mn ions in only one dot results in a pair of QDs with a markedly different spin splitting. In contrast to a positive value of the exciton Lande g factor in nonmagnetic (Cd,Mg)Te-based single QDs, the ground exciton transition in the nonmagnetic QD demonstrates nearly zero g factor, thus, indicating a strong electron coupling between the dots. A new low-energy band with a strong red shift appears at high B signifying formation of the indirect exciton in accordance with our calculations.

Transport through anisotropic magnetic molecules with partially ferromagnetic leads: Spin-charge conversion and negative differential conductance

We theoretically investigate inelastic transport through anisotropic magnetic molecules weakly coupled to one ferromagnetic and one nonmagnetic lead. We find that the current is suppressed over wide voltage ranges due to spin blockade. In this system, spin blockade is associated with successive spin flips of the molecular spins and depends on the anisotropy energy barrier. This leads to the appearance of a window of bias voltages between the Coulomb blockade and spin blockade regimes where the current is large and to negative differential conductance at low temperatures. Remarkably, negative differential conductance is also present close to room temperature. Spin-blockade behavior is accompanied by super-Poissonian shot noise, like in nonmagnetic quantum dots. Finally, we show that the charge transmitted through the molecule between initial preparation in a certain spin state and infinite time very strongly depends on the initial spin state in certain parameter ranges. Thus the molecule can act as a spin-charge converter, an effect potentially useful as a read-out mechanism for molecular spintronics.

Spin relaxation of excitons in nonmagnetic quantum dots: Effect of spin coupling to magnetic semiconductor quantum dots

The effect of spin coupling on the spin polarization of exciton was investigated in double quantum dot (QD) structures, one layer consisting of self-assembled nonmagnetic CdZnSe quantum QDs, and the other of CdMnSe diluted magnetic semiconductor QDs, both layers embedded in ZnSe. The magneto-photoluminescence (PL) studies on this double-layer structure were carried by detecting a single circular polarization in order to investigate the polarization dependence of the PL intensity. We have observed two well separated PL peaks in double QDs, corresponding to emissions from the CdZnSe and CdMnSe QD layers, respectively. It appears that the degree of the PL polarization emitted by the CdZnSe QDs in this double-layer structure is much larger than that observed in a single layer of nonmagnetic CdZnSe QDs. We discussed this enhancement of polarization in terms of antiparallel spin interaction between excitons localized in the nonmagnetic QDs and in the magnetic QDs.

Periodic inversion of tunneling magnetoresistance through Coulomb blockaded quantum dots

Green's function approach is used to study the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) through a nonmagnetic quantum dot, which is coupled asymmetrically to two ferromagnetic leads. We predict a remarkable oscillation effect of the TMR in both sign and magnitude. As the gate voltage varies, the TMR is inverted periodically at each Coulomb peak of conductance, and it retains the normal sign in the Coulomb blockade valleys. The magnitude of the inverse TMR can be tuned to be as large as that of the normal TMR. The oscillation effect is attributed to the quantizations of both electronic charge and energy in the dot.

Magneto-optical study of nonmagnetic quantum dots coupled to a magnetic semiconductor quantum well

We have investigated a series of double-layer structures consisting of a layer of self-assembled non-magnetic CdSe quantum dots (QDs) separated by a thin ZnSe barrier from a ZnCdMnSe diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMSs) quantum well (QW). In the series, the thickness of the ZnSe barrier ranged between 12 and 40 nm. We observe two clearly defined photoluminescence (PL) peaks in all samples, corresponding to the CdSe QDs and the ZnCdMnSe QW, respectively. The PL intensity of the QW peak is observed to decrease systematically relative to the QD peak as the thickness of the ZnSe barrier decreases, indicating a corresponding increase in carrier tunneling from the QW to the QDs. Furthermore, polarization-selective PL measurements reveal that the degree of polarization of the PL emitted by the CdSe QDs increases with decreasing thickness of the ZnSe barriers. The observed behavior is discussed in terms of anti-parallel spin interaction between carriers localized in the non-magnetic QDs and in the magnetic QWs.

Spin polarization of excitons in nonmagnetic quantum dots induced by a neighboring magnetic semiconductor quantum well

Magneto-photoluminescence (PL) experiments were carried out on double layer structures consisting of self-assembled nonmagnetic CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and a ZnCdMnSe diluted magnetic semiconductors quantum well (QW), separated by a thin ZnSe barrier layer. We observe two clearly defined PL peaks in all samples, corresponding to CdSe QD and ZnCdMnSe QW layers, respectively. The PL signal was detected using circular polarization. The degree of PL polarization from CdSe QDs in the double layer structures was much larger than that observed in single layers of nonmagnetic CdSe QD system. The effect was systematically studied by examining intensities, energy shifts, and polarizations of the PL peaks. We discuss the observed behavior in terms of antiparallel spin interaction between excitons localized in the nonmagnetic QDs and in the magnetic QWs.

Optical Properties of Semimagnetic Quantum Dots

ABSTRACTMeasurements of optical properties of epitaxially grown CdMnTe quantum dots are presented. Magnetic ions are incorporated into the structure by passivating the substrate surface with Mn prior the quantum dot deposition. As expected, the intensity of intra-Mn transition increases with the time of manganese passivation. The formation of magnetic quantum dots is evidenced by presence of single emission lines in the micro-photoluminescence spectrum. The width of single dot emission lines is much broader than observed for non-magnetic quantum dots. The broadening is caused by thermal fluctuations of magnetization in quantum dots. Resonant spectroscopy results indicate that the exciton-optical phonon scattering is the main energy relaxation mechanism in these structures. The measurements suggest that post-growth thermal processing offers the possibility of tuning the magnetic properties of these structures.

Giant Negative Magneto-Resistance in Non-Magnetic Quantum Dot Arrays in the Nearest-Neighbor Hopping Conduction

Giant Negative Magneto-Resistance in Non-Magnetic Quantum Dot Arrays in the Nearest-Neighbor Hopping Conduction