Single-Electron-Transport Through Semiconductor Quantum Dots

Jörg P. Kotthaus, Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Quantum dots, which are electrostatically defined in a semiconductor heterojunction, are flexible model systems to study the quantum behavior of few electrons in artificial potential landscapes. Coupling such artificial atoms to external electrodes enables conductance spectroscopy of their quantum states. This is demonstrated with examples including spin-dependent single-electron transport through individual quantum dots, ground-state spectroscopy of a quantum dot molecule containing only a single electron, and the suppression of single-electron transport in quantum dots which are embedded in suspended phonon cavities. Possibilities to utilize such quantum dots for the implementation of quantum gates are discussed.

Host: Michael Roukes