Demonstration and operation of quantum harmonic oscillators in an AlGaAs−GaAs heterostructure
Guangqiang Mei, Pengfei Suo, Li Mao, Min Feng, Limin Cao()
School of Physics and Technology, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
The quantum harmonic oscillator (QHO), one of the most important and ubiquitous model systems in quantum mechanics, features equally spaced energy levels or eigenstates. Here we present a new class of nearly ideal QHOs formed by hydrogenic substitutional dopants in an AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure. On the basis of model calculations, we demonstrate that, when a δ-doping Si donor substitutes the Ga/Al lattice site close to AlGaAs/GaAs heterointerface, a hydrogenic Si QHO, characterized by a restoring Coulomb force producing square law harmonic potential, is formed. This gives rise to QHO states with energy spacing of ~8−9 meV. We experimentally confirm this proposal by utilizing gate tuning and measuring QHO states using an aluminum single-electron transistor (SET). A sharp and fast oscillation with period of ~7−8 mV appears in addition to the regular Coulomb blockade (CB) oscillation with much larger period, for positive gate biases above 0.5 V. The observation of fast oscillation and its behavior is quantitatively consistent with our theoretical result, manifesting the harmonic motion of electrons from the QHO. Our results might establish a general principle to design, construct and manipulate QHOs in semiconductor heterostructures, opening future possibilities for their quantum applications.
. [J]. Frontiers of Physics, 2023, 18(1): 13310.
Guangqiang Mei, Pengfei Suo, Li Mao, Min Feng, Limin Cao. Demonstration and operation of quantum harmonic oscillators in an AlGaAs−GaAs heterostructure. Front. Phys. , 2023, 18(1): 13310.
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