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Zitterbewegung of electronic wave packets in semiconductor nanostructures

John Schliemann·Daniel Loss·R. M. Westervelt
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Abstract

We study the zitterbewegung of electronic wave packets in III-V zinc-blende semiconductor quantum wells due to spin-orbit coupling. Our results suggest a direct experimental proof of this fundamental effect, confirming a long-standing theoretical prediction. For electron motion in a harmonic quantum wire, we numerically and analytically find a resonance condition maximizing the zitterbewegung.

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John Schliemann, Daniel Loss, R. M. Westervelt. 2005-04-25. Zitterbewegung of electronic wave packets in semiconductor nanostructures. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.94.206801

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