Spin-valley dynamics of electrically driven ambipolar carbon-nanotube quantum dots

TL;DR

This paper investigates the spin-valley dynamics in electrically driven ambipolar carbon nanotube quantum dots, revealing how coupling to vacuum states influences transition energies, effective g-factors, and induces multiphoton and harmonic effects.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed theoretical analysis of spin-valley dynamics in carbon nanotube quantum dots using Floquet and configuration interaction methods, highlighting the role of vacuum state coupling.

Findings

Coupling to vacuum states shifts transition energies.

Coupling modifies effective g-factors significantly.

Multiphoton transitions and high harmonic generation are observed.

Abstract

An ambipolar $n$-$p$ double quantum dot defined by potential variation along a semiconducting carbon-nanotube is considered. We focus on the (1e,1h) charge configuration with a single excess electron in the conduction band state confined in the $n$-type dot and a single missing electron in the valence band state of the $p$-dot for which lifting of the Pauli blockade of the current was observed in the electric-dipole spin resonance [E. A. Laird et al. Nat. Nanotech. 8 , 565 (2013)]. The dynamics of the system driven by periodic electric field is studied with the Floquet theory and the time-dependent configuration interaction method with the single-electron spin-valley-orbitals determined for atomistic tight-binding Hamiltonian. We find that the transitions lifting the Pauli blockade are strongly influenced by coupling to a vacuum state with an empty $n$ dot and a fully filled $p$ dot. The coupling shifts the transition energies and strongly modifies the effective $g$ factors for axial magnetic field. The coupling is modulated by the bias between the dots but it appears effective for surprisingly large energy splitting between the (1e,1h) ground state and the vacuum (0e,0h) state. Multiphoton transitions and high harmonic generation effects are also discussed.