Non-adiabaticity and single-electron transport driven by surface acoustic waves

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates how non-adiabatic effects influence single-electron transport driven by surface acoustic waves in a 2D electron gas, highlighting limitations on current quantization accuracy due to Coulomb interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical model analyzing the impact of non-adiabaticity and Coulomb interactions on SAW-driven single-electron transport in narrow constrictions.

Findings

Non-adiabatic effects limit quantization accuracy.

Long-range Coulomb interactions cause rapid decay of tunneling coupling.

Non-adiabaticity sets fundamental limits for acoustoelectric current precision.

Abstract

Single-electron transport driven by surface acoustic waves (SAW) through a narrow constriction, formed in two-dimensional electron gas, is studied theoretically. Due to long-range Coulomb interaction, the tunneling coupling between the electron gas and the moving minimum of the SAW-induced potential rapidly decays with time. As a result, nonadiabaticiy sets a limit for the accuracy of the quantization of acoustoelectric current.