arXiv subjects

C. Reichl

Publications and source records attributed to C. Reichl.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Spin orbit coupling at the level of a single electron

We utilize electron counting techniques to distinguish a spin conserving fast tunneling process and a slower process involving spin flips in AlGaAs/GaAs-based double quantum dots. By studying the dependence of the rates on the interdot tunnel coupling of the two dots, we find that as many as 4% of the tunneling events occur with a spin flip related to spin-orbit coupling in GaAs. Our measurement has a fidelity of 99 % in terms of resolving whether a tunneling event occurred with a spin flip or not.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Mode specific backscattering in a quantum point contact

We demonstrate a scanning gate grid measurement technique consisting in measuring the conductance of a quantum point contact (QPC) as a function of gate voltage at each tip position. Unlike conventional scanning gate experiments, it allows investigating QPC conductance plateaus affected by the tip at these positions. We compensate the capacitive coupling of the tip to the QPC and discover that interference fringes coexist with distorted QPC plateaus. We spatially resolve the mode structure for each plateau.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Microwave Emission from Hybridized States in a Semiconductor Charge Qubit

We explore the microwave radiation emitted from a biased double quantum dot due to the inelastic tunneling of single charges. Radiation is detected over a broad range of detuning configurations between the dot energy levels with pronounced maxima occurring in resonance with a capacitively coupled transmission line resonator. The power emitted for forward and reverse resonant detuning is found to be in good agreement with a rate equation model, which considers the hybridization of the individual dot charge states.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Transition of a 2D spin mode to a helical state by lateral confinement

Spin-orbit interaction (SOI) leads to spin precession about a momentum-dependent spin-orbit field. In a diffusive two-dimensional (2D) electron gas, the spin orientation at a given spatial position depends on which trajectory the electron travels to that position. In the transition to a 1D system with increasing lateral confinement, the spin orientation becomes more and more independent on the trajectory. It is predicted that a long-lived helical spin mode emerges. Here we visualize this transition experimentally in a GaAs quantum-well structure with isotropic SOI. Spatially resolved measurements show the formation of a helical mode already for non-quantized and non-ballistic channels. We find a spin-lifetime enhancement that is in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions. Lateral confinement of a 2D electron gas provides an easy-to-implement technique for achieving high spin lifetimes in the presence of strong SOI for a wide range of material systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Magnetoplasma excitations of two-dimensional anisotropic heavy fermions in AlAs quantum wells

The spectra of plasma and magnetoplasma excitations in a two-dimensional system of anisotropic heavy fermions were investigated for the first time. The spectrum of microwave absorption by disk-like samples of stressed AlAs quantum wells at low electron densities showed two plasma resonances separated by a frequency gap. These two plasma resonances correspond to electron mass principle values of $(1.10 \pm 0.05) m_0$ and $(0.20 \pm 0.01) m_0$. The observed results correspond to the case of a single valley strongly anisotropic Fermi surface. It was established that electron density increase results in population of the second valley, manifesting itself as a drastic modification of the plasma spectrum. We directly determined the electron densities in each valley and the inter-valley splitting energy from the ratio of the two plasma frequencies.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Nonequilibrium transport in density-modulated phases of the second Landau level

We investigate non-equilibrium transport in the reentrant integer quantum Hall phases of the second Landau level. At high currents, we observe a transition from the reentrant integer quantum Hall phases to classical Hall-conduction. Surprisingly, this transition is markedly different for the hole- and electron sides of each spin-branch. While the hole bubble phases exhibit a sharp transition to an isotropic compressible phase, the transition for the electron side occurs via an intermediate phase. This might indicate a more complex structure of the bubble phases than currently anticipated, or a breaking of the particle-hole symmetry. Such a symmetry breaking in the second Landau level might also have consequences for the physics at filling factor $ν$=5/2.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Suppressed decay of a laterally confined persistent spin helix

We experimentally investigate the dynamics of a persistent spin helix in etched GaAs wire structures of 2 to 80 um width. Using magneto-optical Kerr rotation with high spatial resolution, we determine the lifetime of the spin helix. A few nanoseconds after locally injecting spin polarization into the wire, the polarization is strongly enhanced as compared to the two-dimensional case. This is mostly attributed to a transition to one-dimensional diffusion, strongly suppressing diffusive dilution of spin polarization. The intrinsic lifetime of the helical mode is only weakly increased, which indicates that the channel confinement can only partially suppress the cubic Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Spin relaxation anisotropy in a GaAs quantum dot

We report that the electron spin relaxation time, T1, in a GaAs quantum dot with a spin-1/2 ground state has a 180 degree periodicity in the orientation of the in-plane magnetic field. This periodicity has been predicted for circular dots as due to the interplay of Rashba and Dresselhaus spin orbit contributions. Different from this prediction, we find that the extrema in the T1 do not occur when the magnetic field is along the [110] and [1-10] crystallographic directions. This deviation is attributed to an elliptical dot confining potential. The T1 varies by more than an order of magnitude when rotating a 3 Tesla field, reaching about 80 ms for the magic angle. We infer from the data that in our device the sign of the Rashba and Dresselhaus constants are opposite.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Magnetoresistance Induced by Rare Strong Scatterers in a High Mobility 2DEG

We observe a strong negative magnetoresistance at non-quantizing magnetic fields in a high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). This strong negative magnetoresistance consists of a narrow peak around zero magnetic field and a huge magnetoresistance at larger fields. The peak shows parabolic magnetic field dependence and is attributed to the interplay of smooth disorder and rare strong scatterers. We identify the rare strong scatterers as macroscopic defects in the material and determine their density from the peak curvature.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Interplay of fractional quantum Hall states and localization in quantum point contacts

We investigate integer and fractional quantum Hall states in quantum point contacts (QPCs) of different geometries, defined in AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures employing different doping and screening techniques. We find that, even in the highest mobility samples, interference and localization strongly influence the transport properties. We propose microscopic models for these effects, based on single- and many-electron physics. For integer quantum Hall states, transport is modulated due to the self-consistent formation of compressible regions of enhanced or reduced density in the incompressible region of the constriction. In the fractional quantum Hall regime, we observe the localization of fractionally charged quasi-particles in the constriction and an interplay of single- and many-electron physics. At low electron densities and in comparatively weak magnetic fields, single-electron interference dominates transport. Utilizing optimized growth and gating techniques, the $ν$=5/2 state can be observed in a QPC, conserving the bulk properties in an unprecedented quality. Our results might improve the understanding of the influence of localization on the transmission properties of QPCs, which is necessary for the interpretation of interference experiments employing QPCs, especially at $ν$=5/2.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Locally induced quantum interference in scanning gate experiments

We present conductance measurements of a ballistic circular stadium influenced by a scanning gate. When the tip depletes the electron gas below, we observe very pronounced and regular fringes covering the entire stadium. The fringes correspond to transmitted modes in constrictions formed between the tip-induced potential and the boundaries of the stadium. Moving the tip and counting the fringes gives us exquisite control over the transmission of these constrictions. We use this control to form a quantum ring with a specific number of modes in each arm showing the Aharonov-Bohm effect in low-field magnetoconductance measurements.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Dynamics of a localized spin excitation close to the spin-helix regime

The time evolution of a local spin excitation in a (001)-confined two-dimensional electron gas subjected to Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions of similar strength is investigated theoretically and compared with experimental data. Specifically, the consequences of the finite spatial extension of the initial spin polarization is studied for non-balanced Rashba and Dresselhaus terms and for finite cubic Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction. We show that the initial out-of-plane spin polarization evolves into a helical spin pattern with a wave number that gradually approaches the value $q_0$ of the persistent spin helix mode. In addition to an exponential decay of the spin polarization that is proportional to both the spin-orbit imbalance and the cubic Dresselhaus term, the finite width $w$ of the spin excitation reduces the spin polarization by a factor that approaches $\exp(-q_0^2 w^2/2)$ at longer times.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Resolving Spin-Orbit and Hyperfine Mediated Electric Dipole Spin Resonance in a Quantum Dot

We investigate the electric manipulation of a single electron spin in a single gate-defined quantum dot. We observe that so-far neglected differences between the hyperfine and spin-orbit mediated electric dipole spin resonance conditions have important consequences at high magnetic fields. In experiments using adiabatic rapid passage to invert the electron spin, we observe an unusually wide and asymmetric response as a function of magnetic field. Simulations support the interpretation of the lineshape in terms of four different resonance conditions. These findings may lead to isotope-selective control of dynamic nuclear polarization in quantum dots.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Imaging magnetoelectric subbands in ballistic constrictions

We perform scanning gate experiments on ballistic constrictions in the presence of small perpendicular magnetic fields. The constrictions form the entrance and exit of a circular gate-defined ballistic stadium. Close to constrictions we observe sets of regular fringes creating a checker board pattern. Inside the stadium conductance fluctuations governed by chaotic dynamics of electrons are visible. The checker board pattern allows us to determine the number of transmitted modes in the constrictions forming between the tip-induced potential and gate-defined geometry. Spatial investigation of the fringe pattern in a perpendicular magnetic field shows a transition from electrostatic to magnetic depopulation of magnetoelectric subbands. Classical and quantum simulations agree well with different aspects of our observations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Interference of electrons in backscattering through a quantum point contact

Scanning gate microscopy is used to locally investigate electron transport in a high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas formed in a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure. Using quantum point contacts (QPC) we observe branches caused by electron backscattering decorated with interference fringes similar to previous observations by Topinka et al. We investigate the branches at different points of a conductance plateau as well as between plateaus, and demonstrate that the most dramatic changes in branch pattern occur at the low-energy side of the conductance plateaus. The branches disappear at magnetic fields as low as 50 mT demonstrating the importance of backscattering for the observation of the branching effect. The spacing between the interference fringes varies by more than 50% for different branches across scales of microns. Several scenarios are discussed to explain this observation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Direct mapping of the formation of a persistent spin helix: Supplementary information

The spin-orbit interaction (SOI) in zincblende semiconductor quantum wells can be set to a symmetry point, in which spin decay is strongly suppressed for a helical spin mode. Signatures of such a persistent spin helix (PSH) have been probed using the transient spin grating technique, but it has not yet been possible to observe the formation and the helical nature of a PSH. Here we directly map the diffusive evolution of a local spin excitation into a helical spin mode by a time- and spatially resolved magneto-optical Kerr rotation technique. Depending on its in-plane direction, an external magnetic field interacts differently with the spin mode and either highlights its helical nature or destroys the SU(2) symmetry of the SOI and thus decreases the spin lifetime. All relevant SOI parameters are experimentally determined and confirmed with a numerical simulation of spin diffusion in the presence of SOI.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Transport Properties of Clean Quantum Point Contacts

Quantum point contacts are fundamental building blocks for mesoscopic transport experiments and play an important role in recent interference- and fractional quantum Hall experiments. However, it is not clear how electron-electron interactions and the random disorder potential influence the confinement potential and give rise to phenomena like the mysterious 0.7 anomaly. Novel growth techniques of GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures for high-mobility two-dimensional electron gases enable us to investigate quantum point contacts with a strongly suppressed disorder potential. These clean quantum point contacts indeed show transport features that are obscured by disorder in standard samples. From this transport data, we are able to extract the parameters of the confinement potential which describe its shape in longitudinal and transverse direction. Knowing the shape (and hence the slope) of the confinement potential might be crucial to predict which interaction-induced states can form in quantum point contacts.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Imaging the lateral shift of a quantum-point contact using scanning-gate microscopy

We perform scanning-gate microscopy on a quantum-point contact. It is defined in a high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas of an AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure, giving rise to a weak disorder potential. The lever arm of the scanning tip is significantly smaller than that of the split gates defining the conducting channel of the quantum-point contact. We are able to observe that the conducting channel is shifted in real space when asymmetric gate voltages are applied. The observed shifts are consistent with transport data and numerical estimations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗