Andreev reflection （AR） in a normal-metal/quantum-dot/superconductor （N-QD-S） system with coupled Majorana bound states （MBSs） is investigated theoretically. We find that in the N--QD-S system, the AR can be enh...Andreev reflection （AR） in a normal-metal/quantum-dot/superconductor （N-QD-S） system with coupled Majorana bound states （MBSs） is investigated theoretically. We find that in the N--QD-S system, the AR can be enhanced when coupling to the MBSs is incorporated. Fano line-shapes can be observed in the AR conductance spectrum when there is an appropriate QD-MBS coupling or MBS-MBS coupling. The AR conductance is always e2/2h at the zero Fermi energy point when only QD--MBSs coupling is considered. In addition, the resonant AR occurs when the MBS-MBS coupling roughly equals to the QD energy level. We also find that an AR antiresonance appears when the QD energy level approximately equals to the sum of the QD-MBS coupling and the MBS-MBS coupling. These features may serve as characteristic signatures for the probe of MBSs.展开更多
Using the tight-binding approximation and the transfer matrix method, this paper studies the electronic transport properties through a periodic array of quantum-dot （QD） rings threaded by a magnetic flux. It demonst...Using the tight-binding approximation and the transfer matrix method, this paper studies the electronic transport properties through a periodic array of quantum-dot （QD） rings threaded by a magnetic flux. It demonstrates that the even^odd parity of the QD number in a single ring and the number of the QD rings in the array play a crucial role in the electron transmission. For a single QD ring, the resonance and antiresonance transmission depend not only on the applied magnetic flux but also on the difference between the number of QDs on the two arms of the ring. For an array of QD rings, the transmission properties are related not only to the even-odd parity of the number No of QDs in the single ring but also to the even-odd parity of the ring number N in the array. When the incident electron energy is aligned with the site energy, for the array of N rings with No = odd the antiresonance transmission cannot occur but the resonance transmission may occur and the transmission spectrum has N resonance peaks （N - 1 resonance peaks） in a period for N = odd （for N = even）. For the array of N rings with No = even the transmission properties depend on the flux threading the ring and the QD number on one arm of the ring. These results may be helpful in designing QD devices.展开更多
Based on the Kubo formula for an electron tunneling junction, we revisit the nonequilibrium transport properties through a quantum dot. Since the Fermi level of the quantum dot is set by the conduction electrons of th...Based on the Kubo formula for an electron tunneling junction, we revisit the nonequilibrium transport properties through a quantum dot. Since the Fermi level of the quantum dot is set by the conduction electrons of the leads, we calculate the electron current from the left side by assuming the quantum dot coupled to the right lead as another side of the tunneling junction, and the other way round is used to calculate the current from the right side. By symmetrizing these two currents, an effective local density states on the dot can be obtained, and is discussed at high and low temperatures, respectively.展开更多
According to the well-established light-to-electricity conversion theory,resonant excited carriers in the quantum dots will relax to the ground states and cannot escape from the quantum dots to form photocurrent,which...According to the well-established light-to-electricity conversion theory,resonant excited carriers in the quantum dots will relax to the ground states and cannot escape from the quantum dots to form photocurrent,which have been observed in quantum dots without a p–n junction at an external bias.Here,we experimentally observed more than 88% of the resonantly excited photo carriers escaping from In As quantum dots embedded in a short-circuited p–n junction to form photocurrent.The phenomenon cannot be explained by thermionic emission,tunneling process,and intermediate-band theories.A new mechanism is suggested that the photo carriers escape directly from the quantum dots to form photocurrent rather than relax to the ground state of quantum dots induced by a p–n junction.The finding is important for understanding the low-dimensional semiconductor physics and applications in solar cells and photodiode detectors.展开更多
We investigate the quantum transport properties through a special kind of quantum dot（QD） system composed of a serially coupled multi-QD-pair（multi-QDP） chain and side-coupled Majorana bound states（MBSs） by usin...We investigate the quantum transport properties through a special kind of quantum dot（QD） system composed of a serially coupled multi-QD-pair（multi-QDP） chain and side-coupled Majorana bound states（MBSs） by using the Green functions method,where the conductance can be classified into two kinds：the electron tunneling（ET） conductance and the Andreev reflection（AR） one.First we find that for the nonzero MBS-QDP coupling a sharp AR-induced zero-bias conductance peak with the height of e^2/h is present（or absent） when the MBS is coupled to the far left（or the other） QDP.Moreover,the MBS-QDP coupling can suppress the ET conductance and strengthen the AR one,and further split into two sub-peaks each of the total conductance peaks of the isolated multi-QDPs,indicating that the MBS will make obvious influences on the competition between the ET and AR processes.Then we find that the tunneling rate ΓLis able to affect the conductances of leads L and R in different ways,demonstrating that there exists a ΓL-related competition between the AR and ET processes.Finally we consider the effect of the inter-MBS coupling on the conductances of the multi-QDP chains and it is shown that the inter-MBS coupling will split the zero-bias conductance peak with the height of e^2/h into two sub-peaks.As the inter-MBS coupling becomes stronger,the two sub-peaks are pushed away from each other and simultaneously become lower,which is opposite to that of the single QDP chain where the two sub-peaks with the height of about e^2/2h become higher.Also,the decay of the conductance sub-peaks with the increase of the MBS-QDP coupling becomes slower as the number of the QDPs becomes larger.This research should be an important extension in studying the transport properties in the kind of QD systems coupled with the side MBSs,which is helpful for understanding the nature of the MBSs,as well as the MBS-related QD transport properties.展开更多
Electron transport properties of a triple-terminal Aharonov-Bohm interferometer are theoretically studied.By applying a Rashba spin-orbit coupling to a quantum dot locally, we find that remarkable spin polarization co...Electron transport properties of a triple-terminal Aharonov-Bohm interferometer are theoretically studied.By applying a Rashba spin-orbit coupling to a quantum dot locally, we find that remarkable spin polarization comesabout in the electron transport process with tuning the structure parameters, i.e., the magnetic flux or quantum dotlevels. When the quantum dot levels are aligned with the Fermi level, there only appear spin polarization in thisstructure by the presence of an appropriate magnetic flux. However, in absence of magnetic flux spin polarization andspin separation can be simultaneously realized with the adjustment of quantum dot levels, namely, an incident electronfrom one terminal can select a specific terminal to depart from the quantum dots according to its spin state.展开更多
Using the nonequilibrium Keldysh Green＇s function technique, the Fano effect of a parallel-coupled triple Rashba quantum dot system is investigated. The conductance as a function of electron energy is numerically cal...Using the nonequilibrium Keldysh Green＇s function technique, the Fano effect of a parallel-coupled triple Rashba quantum dot system is investigated. The conductance as a function of electron energy is numerically calculated. Compared with the case of a parallel-coupled double quantum dot system, two additional Fano resonance peaks occur in the conductance spectrum. By adjusting the structural parameters, the two Fano resonance peaks may change into the resoaance peaks. In addition, the influence of Rashba spin-orbit interaction on the conductance is studied.展开更多
Using the nonequilibrium Green＇s function technique,electron transport through a laterally coupled vertical triple quantum dot is investigated.The conductance as a function of electron energy is numerically calculate...Using the nonequilibrium Green＇s function technique,electron transport through a laterally coupled vertical triple quantum dot is investigated.The conductance as a function of electron energy is numerically calculated.The evolution of the conductance strongly depends on the configuration of dot levels and interdot coupling strengths.展开更多
In this paper, we discuss the full counting statistics of superconducting quantum dot contacts. We discuss the effects both of phonon and onsite electronic interaction focusing on the experimentally most relevant case...In this paper, we discuss the full counting statistics of superconducting quantum dot contacts. We discuss the effects both of phonon and onsite electronic interaction focusing on the experimentally most relevant case of strong onsite electronic interactions. We find that in general, the Josephson effect and multiple Andreev reflections in these systems are strongly suppressed due to the onsite interaction. However, in case resonant phonons are found, the effect of the onsite interaction can be overcome.展开更多
We study the electron transport through a special quantum-dot(QD)structure composed of three QDs and two Majorana bound states(MBSs)using the nonequilibrium Green’s function technique.This QD-MBS ring structure inclu...We study the electron transport through a special quantum-dot(QD)structure composed of three QDs and two Majorana bound states(MBSs)using the nonequilibrium Green’s function technique.This QD-MBS ring structure includes two channels with the two coupled MBSs being Channel 1 and one QD being Channel 2,and three types of transport processes such as the electron transmission(ET),the Andreev reflection(AR),and the crossed Andreev reflection(CAR).By comparing the ET,AR,and CAR processes through Channels 1 and 2,we make a systematic study on the transport properties of the QD-MBS ring.It is shown that there appear two kinds of characteristic transport patterns for Channels 1 and 2,as well as the interplay between the two patterns.Of particular interest is that there exists an AR-assisted ET process in Channel 2,which is different from that in Channel 1.Thus a clear"X"pattern due to the ET and AR processes appears in the ET,AR,and CAR transmission coefficients.Moreover,we study how Channel 2 affects the three transport processes when Channel 1 is tuned in the ET and CAR regimes.It is shown that the transport properties of the ET,AR and CAR processes can be adjusted by tuning the energy level of the QD embedded in Channel 2.We believe this research should be a helpful reference for understanding the transport properties in the QD-MBS coupled systems.展开更多
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.61176089 and 10974043)the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province,China(Grant Nos.A2011205092 and 2014205005)the Fund for Hebei Normal University for Nationalities,China(Grant No.201109)
文摘Andreev reflection （AR） in a normal-metal/quantum-dot/superconductor （N-QD-S） system with coupled Majorana bound states （MBSs） is investigated theoretically. We find that in the N--QD-S system, the AR can be enhanced when coupling to the MBSs is incorporated. Fano line-shapes can be observed in the AR conductance spectrum when there is an appropriate QD-MBS coupling or MBS-MBS coupling. The AR conductance is always e2/2h at the zero Fermi energy point when only QD--MBSs coupling is considered. In addition, the resonant AR occurs when the MBS-MBS coupling roughly equals to the QD energy level. We also find that an AR antiresonance appears when the QD energy level approximately equals to the sum of the QD-MBS coupling and the MBS-MBS coupling. These features may serve as characteristic signatures for the probe of MBSs.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 10774094 and 10775091)National Fundamental Fund of Personnel Training (Grant No. J0730317)Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province of China (GrantNo. 2009011001-1)
文摘Using the tight-binding approximation and the transfer matrix method, this paper studies the electronic transport properties through a periodic array of quantum-dot （QD） rings threaded by a magnetic flux. It demonstrates that the even^odd parity of the QD number in a single ring and the number of the QD rings in the array play a crucial role in the electron transmission. For a single QD ring, the resonance and antiresonance transmission depend not only on the applied magnetic flux but also on the difference between the number of QDs on the two arms of the ring. For an array of QD rings, the transmission properties are related not only to the even-odd parity of the number No of QDs in the single ring but also to the even-odd parity of the ring number N in the array. When the incident electron energy is aligned with the site energy, for the array of N rings with No = odd the antiresonance transmission cannot occur but the resonance transmission may occur and the transmission spectrum has N resonance peaks （N - 1 resonance peaks） in a period for N = odd （for N = even）. For the array of N rings with No = even the transmission properties depend on the flux threading the ring and the QD number on one arm of the ring. These results may be helpful in designing QD devices.
基金国家自然科学基金，the Special Fund for State Key Basic Research Projects of China under
文摘Based on the Kubo formula for an electron tunneling junction, we revisit the nonequilibrium transport properties through a quantum dot. Since the Fermi level of the quantum dot is set by the conduction electrons of the leads, we calculate the electron current from the left side by assuming the quantum dot coupled to the right lead as another side of the tunneling junction, and the other way round is used to calculate the current from the right side. By symmetrizing these two currents, an effective local density states on the dot can be obtained, and is discussed at high and low temperatures, respectively.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11574362,61210014,11374340,and 11474205)the Innovative Clean-Energy Research and Application Program of Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission,China(Grant No.Z151100003515001)
文摘According to the well-established light-to-electricity conversion theory,resonant excited carriers in the quantum dots will relax to the ground states and cannot escape from the quantum dots to form photocurrent,which have been observed in quantum dots without a p–n junction at an external bias.Here,we experimentally observed more than 88% of the resonantly excited photo carriers escaping from In As quantum dots embedded in a short-circuited p–n junction to form photocurrent.The phenomenon cannot be explained by thermionic emission,tunneling process,and intermediate-band theories.A new mechanism is suggested that the photo carriers escape directly from the quantum dots to form photocurrent rather than relax to the ground state of quantum dots induced by a p–n junction.The finding is important for understanding the low-dimensional semiconductor physics and applications in solar cells and photodiode detectors.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11274040 and 10974015)the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University of China(Grant No.NCET-08-0044)
文摘We investigate the quantum transport properties through a special kind of quantum dot（QD） system composed of a serially coupled multi-QD-pair（multi-QDP） chain and side-coupled Majorana bound states（MBSs） by using the Green functions method,where the conductance can be classified into two kinds：the electron tunneling（ET） conductance and the Andreev reflection（AR） one.First we find that for the nonzero MBS-QDP coupling a sharp AR-induced zero-bias conductance peak with the height of e^2/h is present（or absent） when the MBS is coupled to the far left（or the other） QDP.Moreover,the MBS-QDP coupling can suppress the ET conductance and strengthen the AR one,and further split into two sub-peaks each of the total conductance peaks of the isolated multi-QDPs,indicating that the MBS will make obvious influences on the competition between the ET and AR processes.Then we find that the tunneling rate ΓLis able to affect the conductances of leads L and R in different ways,demonstrating that there exists a ΓL-related competition between the AR and ET processes.Finally we consider the effect of the inter-MBS coupling on the conductances of the multi-QDP chains and it is shown that the inter-MBS coupling will split the zero-bias conductance peak with the height of e^2/h into two sub-peaks.As the inter-MBS coupling becomes stronger,the two sub-peaks are pushed away from each other and simultaneously become lower,which is opposite to that of the single QDP chain where the two sub-peaks with the height of about e^2/2h become higher.Also,the decay of the conductance sub-peaks with the increase of the MBS-QDP coupling becomes slower as the number of the QDPs becomes larger.This research should be an important extension in studying the transport properties in the kind of QD systems coupled with the side MBSs,which is helpful for understanding the nature of the MBSs,as well as the MBS-related QD transport properties.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.10847109the Education Department of Liaoning Province under Grant No.2009A309
文摘Electron transport properties of a triple-terminal Aharonov-Bohm interferometer are theoretically studied.By applying a Rashba spin-orbit coupling to a quantum dot locally, we find that remarkable spin polarization comesabout in the electron transport process with tuning the structure parameters, i.e., the magnetic flux or quantum dotlevels. When the quantum dot levels are aligned with the Fermi level, there only appear spin polarization in thisstructure by the presence of an appropriate magnetic flux. However, in absence of magnetic flux spin polarization andspin separation can be simultaneously realized with the adjustment of quantum dot levels, namely, an incident electronfrom one terminal can select a specific terminal to depart from the quantum dots according to its spin state.
基金supported by the Youth Foundation of Heilongjiang Province,China(Grant No.QC2009C41)the Heilongjiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation,China(Grant No.F200939)
文摘Using the nonequilibrium Keldysh Green＇s function technique, the Fano effect of a parallel-coupled triple Rashba quantum dot system is investigated. The conductance as a function of electron energy is numerically calculated. Compared with the case of a parallel-coupled double quantum dot system, two additional Fano resonance peaks occur in the conductance spectrum. By adjusting the structural parameters, the two Fano resonance peaks may change into the resoaance peaks. In addition, the influence of Rashba spin-orbit interaction on the conductance is studied.
基金Project supported by the Youth Foundation of Heilongjiang Province,China (Grant No. QC2009C41)the Heilongjiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation,China (Grant No. F200939)
文摘Using the nonequilibrium Green＇s function technique,electron transport through a laterally coupled vertical triple quantum dot is investigated.The conductance as a function of electron energy is numerically calculated.The evolution of the conductance strongly depends on the configuration of dot levels and interdot coupling strengths.
文摘In this paper, we discuss the full counting statistics of superconducting quantum dot contacts. We discuss the effects both of phonon and onsite electronic interaction focusing on the experimentally most relevant case of strong onsite electronic interactions. We find that in general, the Josephson effect and multiple Andreev reflections in these systems are strongly suppressed due to the onsite interaction. However, in case resonant phonons are found, the effect of the onsite interaction can be overcome.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 10674092Shanghai Leading Academic Disciplines Project under Grant No. S30105
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.11274040the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University under Grant No.NCET-08-0044
文摘We study the electron transport through a special quantum-dot(QD)structure composed of three QDs and two Majorana bound states(MBSs)using the nonequilibrium Green’s function technique.This QD-MBS ring structure includes two channels with the two coupled MBSs being Channel 1 and one QD being Channel 2,and three types of transport processes such as the electron transmission(ET),the Andreev reflection(AR),and the crossed Andreev reflection(CAR).By comparing the ET,AR,and CAR processes through Channels 1 and 2,we make a systematic study on the transport properties of the QD-MBS ring.It is shown that there appear two kinds of characteristic transport patterns for Channels 1 and 2,as well as the interplay between the two patterns.Of particular interest is that there exists an AR-assisted ET process in Channel 2,which is different from that in Channel 1.Thus a clear"X"pattern due to the ET and AR processes appears in the ET,AR,and CAR transmission coefficients.Moreover,we study how Channel 2 affects the three transport processes when Channel 1 is tuned in the ET and CAR regimes.It is shown that the transport properties of the ET,AR and CAR processes can be adjusted by tuning the energy level of the QD embedded in Channel 2.We believe this research should be a helpful reference for understanding the transport properties in the QD-MBS coupled systems.
基金supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (973) (2011CBA00700)National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863) (2011AA050527)National Natural Science Foundation of China (51172237, 61306082, 61306083)~~
