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Quantized current in a quantum dot turnstile

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Zeitschrift für Physik B Condensed Matter

Abstract

We have performed RF experiments on a lateral quantum dot defined in the two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) of a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure. The small capacitance of the quantum dot gives rise to single-electron charging effects, which we employed to realize a quantum dot turnstile device. By modulating the tunnel barriers between the quantum dot and the 2DEG leads with two phase-shifted RF signals, we pass an integer number of electrons through the quantum dot per RF cycle. This is demonstrated by the observation of quantized current plateaus at multiples ofef in current-voltage characteristics, wheref is the frequency of the RF signals. When an asymmetry is induced by applying unequal RF voltages, our quantum dot turnstile operates as a single-electron pump producing a quantized current at zero bias voltage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Applied Physics, Delft University of Technology, P. O. Box 5046, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands

    L. P. Kouwenhoven, A. T. Johnson, N. C. van der Vaart, A. van der Enden & C. J. P. M. Harmans

  2. Philips Research Laboratories, RH15HA, Redhill, Surrey, UK

    C. T. Foxon

Authors
  1. L. P. Kouwenhoven
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  2. A. T. Johnson
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  3. N. C. van der Vaart
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  4. A. van der Enden
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  5. C. J. P. M. Harmans
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  6. C. T. Foxon
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Kouwenhoven, L.P., Johnson, A.T., van der Vaart, N.C. et al. Quantized current in a quantum dot turnstile. Z. Physik B - Condensed Matter 85, 381–388 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01307634

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01307634

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