No Arabic abstract
We have realized quantized charge pumping using non-adiabatic single-electron pumps in dopant-free GaAs two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs). The dopant-free III-V platform allows for ambipolar devices, such as p-i-n junctions, that could be combined with such pumps to form electrically-driven single photon sources. Our pumps operate at up to 0.95 GHz and achieve remarkable performance considering the relaxed experimental conditions: one-gate pumping in zero magnetic field and temperatures up to 5K, driven by a simple RF sine waveform. Fitting to a universal decay cascade model yields values for the figure of merit $delta$ that compare favorably to reported modulation-doped GaAs pumps operating under similar conditions. The devices reported here are already suitable for optoelectronics applications, and with further improvement could offer a route to a current standard that does not require sub-Kelvin temperatures and high magnetic fields.
Unbiased (biased) illuminations are performed at low temperatures on dopant-free two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) at different depths in undoped GaAs/AlGaAs, while gates are kept grounded (held at a finite voltage, either positive or negative). Unbiased illuminations in 2DEGs located more than 70 nm away from the surface result in a gain in mobility (for the same electron density), driven by the reduction of background impurities. In 2DEGs closer to the surface, unbiased illuminations result in a mobility loss, driven by an increase in surface charge density. Biased illuminations performed with positive applied gate voltages result in a mobility gain, whereas those performed with negative applied voltages result in a mobility loss. The magnitude of the mobility gain (loss) weakens with 2DEG depth, and is likely driven by a reduction (increase) in surface charge density. Experimental results are modeled with Boltzmann transport theory, and possible mechanisms are discussed.
We have fabricated quantum dot single electron transistors, based on AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunctions without modulation doping, which exhibit clear and stable Coulomb blockade oscillations. The temperature dependence of the Coulomb blockade peak lineshape is well described by standard Coulomb blockade theory in the quantum regime. Bias spectroscopy measurements have allowed us to directly extract the charging energy, and showed clear evidence of excited state transport, confirming that individual quantum states in the dot can be resolved.
Single dopants in semiconductor nanostructures have been studied in great details recently as they are good candidates for quantum bits, provided they are coupled to a detector. Here we report coupling of a single As donor atom to a single-electron transistor (SET) in a silicon nanowire field-effect transistor. Both capacitive and tunnel coupling are achieved, the latter resulting in a dramatic increase of the conductance through the SET, by up to one order of magnitude. The experimental results are well explained by the rate equations theory developed in parallel with the experiment.
Radio frequency reflectometry is demonstrated in a sub-micron undoped AlGaAs/GaAs device. Undoped single electron transistors (SETs) are attractive candidates to study single electron phenomena due to their charge stability and robust electronic properties after thermal cycling. However these devices require a large top-gate which is unsuitable for the fast and sensitive radio frequency reflectometry technique. Here we demonstrate rf reflectometry is possible in an undoped SET.
We report a study of transport blockade features in a quantum dot single-electron transistor, based on an undoped AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure. We observe suppression of transport through the ground state of the dot, as well as negative differential conductance at finite source-drain bias. The temperature and magnetic field dependence of these features indicate the couplings between the leads and the quantum dot states are suppressed. We attribute this to two possible mechanisms: spin effects which determine whether a particular charge transition is allowed based on the change in total spin, and the interference effects that arise from coherent tunneling of electrons in the dot.