No Arabic abstract
As an analogy to the Weyl point in k-space, we search for energy levels which close at a single point as a function of a three dimensional parameter space. Such points are topologically protected in the sense that any perturbation which acts on the two level subsystem can be corrected by tuning the control parameters. We find that parameter controlled Weyl points are ubiquitous in semiconductor-superconductor quantum dots and that they are deeply related to Majorana zero modes. In this paper, we present several semiconductor-superconductor quantum dot devices which host parameter controlled Weyl points. Further, we show how these points can be observed experimentally via conductance measurements.
Pyramidal quantum dots (QDs) grown in inverted recesses have demonstrated over the years an extraordinary uniformity, high spectral purity and strong design versatility. We discuss recent results, also in view of the Stranski-Krastanow competition and give evidence for strong perspectives in quantum information applications for this system. We examine the possibility of generating entangled and indistinguishable photons, together with the need for the implementation of a, regrettably still missing, strategy for electrical control.
This paper has been withdrawn by the author and replaced by arXiv:0809.4751
Numerical analysis of the simplest odd-numbered system of coupled quantum dots reveals an interplay between magnetic ordering, charge fluctuations and the tendency of itinerant electrons in the leads to screen magnetic moments. The transition from local-moment to molecular-orbital behavior is visible in the evolution of correlation functions as the inter-dot coupling is increased. Resulting novel Kondo phases are presented in a phase diagram which can be sampled by measuring the zero-bias conductance. We discuss the origin of the even-odd effects by comparing with the double quantum dot.
A dilute concentration of magnetic impurities can dramatically affect the transport properties of an otherwise pure metal. This phenomenon, known as the Kondo effect, originates from the interactions of individual magnetic impurities with the conduction electrons. Nearly a decade ago, the Kondo effect was observed in a new system, in which the magnetic moment stems from a single unpaired spin in a lithographically defined quantum dot, or artificial atom. The discovery of the Kondo effect in artificial atoms spurred a revival in the study of Kondo physics, due in part to the unprecedented control of relevant parameters in these systems. In this review we discuss the physics, origins, and phenomenology of the Kondo effect in the context of recent quantum dot experiments.
Disorder such as impurities and dislocations in Weyl semimetals (SMs) drives a quantum critical point (QCP) where the density of states at the Weyl point gains a non-zero value. Near the QCP, the asymptotic low energy singularities of physical quantities are controlled by the critical exponents $ u$ and $z$. The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate, which originates from the hyperfine coupling between a nuclear spin and long-range orbital currents in Weyl fermion systems, shows intriguing critical behavior. Based on the self-consistent Born approximation for impurities, we study the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate $1/T_1$ due to the orbital currents in disordered Weyl SMs. We find that $(T_1T)^{-1}sim E^{2/z}$ at the QCP where $E$ is the maximum of temperature $T$ and chemical potential $mu(T)$ relative to the Weyl point. This scaling behavior of $(T_1T)^{-1}$ is also confirmed by the self-consistent $T$-matrix approximation, where a remarkable temperature dependence of $mu(T)$ could play an important role. We hope these results of $(T_1T)^{-1}$ will serve as an impetus for exploration of the disorder-driven quantum criticality in Weyl materials.