Magnetic flux and strain effects on electron transport in a linear array of nanoscopic rings

• Published in: The European physical journal. B, Condensed matter physics Vol. 90; no. 3; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Hedin, Eric R., Joe, Yong S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-03-2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Banded structure; Complex Systems; Condensed Matter Physics; Electric power transmission; Electron energy; Electron transport; Fluid- and Aerodynamics; Linear arrays; Magnetic flux; Mathematical models; Parameters; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum dots; Regular Article; Solid State Physics; Mesoscopic and Nanoscale Systems
• ISSN: 1434-6028; 1434-6036
• DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2017-80025-8

Electron transport through a linear array of nanoscopic rings with six quantum dot sites per ring is investigated in the presence of an external magnetic flux producing an Aharonov-Bohm phase shift effect. A tight-binding model is employed to analytically calculate the transmission as a function of electron energy, external flux, and inter-site coupling parameters. Current vs. voltage relationships of the ring system are computed using a standard scattering theory of transport and shown to modulate between semiconductor and ohmic characteristics. System parameters are adjusted in order to study the effects of a longitudinal strain on the transmission properties of the linear multiple-ring array. Longitudinal strain is modeled with a Slater-Koster type theory and is demonstrated to affect the transmission properties primarily by narrowing the transmission bands and opening up additional bandgaps in the band structure. In addition, a universal resonant transmission condition as a function of flux is extended to show that the application of strain causes the resonant transmission peaks to converge towards one-half of a flux quantum.