Magneto-optical properties of electron gas in a chain of planar quantum rings: Effect of screening on the signature of quantum phase interference

TL;DR

This paper investigates the magneto-optical properties of a 2D electron gas in a chain of quantum rings, revealing how magnetic field and electron interactions influence miniband structures, with implications for future infrared and THz devices.

Contribution

The study introduces analytical models for electron behavior in quantum ring chains, highlighting the effects of Coulomb interactions on miniband structures and magneto-optical signatures.

Findings

Identification of detached low-energy minibands and multiple crossings at higher energies.

Existence and preservation of miniband nodes under Coulomb interactions.

Impact of electron number on magnetization, current distribution, and oscillator strength.

Abstract

The equilibrium properties and interminiband transitions for Hartree-interacting two-dimensional electron gas in a one-dimensional chain of planar quantum rings subjected to a transverse homogeneous magnetic field are examined theoretically and numerically. The proposed analytical models for the external modulation potential and the basis wave-function reflect the symmetry and the topology of the system allowing to get high accuracy results in comparatively short computational times. The calculated dependencies of the electronic band structure versus magnetic field show two detached minibands in the region of low energies, while higher minibands manifest multiple crossings and anticrossings. The existence of highly degenerate energy levels (referred to as miniband nodes) for certain values of magnetic field is revealed. The miniband nodes are preserved when taking into account the Coulomb interaction of the electrons. The interaction leads to an up-shift and a broadening of the minibands, as well as to a shift of the nodes toward the larger values of the magnetic field. The miniband nodes have their signature in the magnetization of the electron gas and in the interminiband transitions. The number of electrons per a unite cell of the system has a strong impact on the current density distribution, magnetization and the oscillator strength. The obtained results open new opportunities for a flexible manipulation of magneto-optical properties of future devices operating in far-infrared and THz regimes.