Two-dimensional electron gas with universal subbands at the surface of SrTiO(3)

As silicon is the basis of conventional electronics, so strontium titanate (SrTiO(3)) is the foundation of the emerging field of oxide electronics. SrTiO(3) is the preferred template for the creation of exotic, two-dimensional (2D) phases of electron matter at oxide interfaces that have metal-insulator transitions, superconductivity or large negative magnetoresistance. However, the physical nature of the electronic structure underlying these 2D electron gases (2DEGs), which is crucial to understanding their remarkable properties, remains elusive. Here we show, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, that there is a highly metallic universal 2DEG at the vacuum-cleaved surface of SrTiO(3) (including the non-doped insulating material) independently of bulk carrier densities over more than seven decades. This 2DEG is confined within a region of about five unit cells and has a sheet carrier density of ～0.33 electrons per square lattice parameter. The electronic structure consists of multiple subbands of heavy and light electrons. The similarity of this 2DEG to those reported in SrTiO(3)-based heterostructures and field-effect transistors suggests that different forms of electron confinement at the surface of SrTiO(3) lead to essentially the same 2DEG. Our discovery provides a model system for the study of the electronic structure of 2DEGs in SrTiO(3)-based devices and a novel means of generating 2DEGs at the surfaces of transition-metal oxides.     

高效蓝色有机发光材料与器件

有机半导体由于具有柔软性而可卷曲成形,具有可溶加工性而采用印刷成膜,从而使得加工成本有可能大大降低而受到广泛关注．本文针对有机发光材料中n型材料不足及宽能带与高电子传输性不可同时实现的难题,我们设计与合成了一系列的宽带电子传输材料并应用于蓝色磷光器件,实现了将近100％的内量子效率蓝色磷光．针对蓝色发光材料色度不纯的问题,我们设计了深蓝色荧光材料,其器件色度坐标CIE（0．15,0．08）,与NTSC标准蓝光相当接近,同时实现接近理论极限的外量子效率发光．针对器件中由于平面波导及表面等离激元等能量模式的损失,我们利用有机材料的自团聚现象在有机发光器件金属阴极上制备无规的纳米结构,把束缚能量转化成自由光子,使得顶出光效率提高到2．1—2．7倍,且不改变原有器件的发光光谱形状．     

Magnetic impurity formation in quantum point contacts

A quantum point contact (QPC) is a narrow constriction between two wider electron reservoirs, and is the standard building block of sub-micrometre devices such as quantum dots and qubits (the proposed basic elements of quantum computers). The conductance through a QPC changes as a function of its width in integer steps of G(0) = 2e2/h (where e is the charge on an electron, and h is Planck's constant), signalling the quantization of its transverse modes. But measurements of these conductance steps also reveal an additional shoulder at a value around 0.7G(0) (refs 1-4), an observation that has remained a puzzle for more than a decade. It has recently been suggested that this phenomenon can be explained by the existence of a magnetic 'impurity' in the QPC at low electron densities. Here we present extensive numerical density-functional calculations that reveal the formation of an electronic state with a spin-1/2 magnetic moment in the channel under very general conditions. In addition, we show that such an impurity will also form at large magnetic fields, for a specific value of the field, and sometimes even at the opening of the second transverse mode in the QPC. Beyond explaining the source of the '0.7 anomaly', these results may have far-reaching implications for spin-filling of electronic states in quantum dots and for the dephasing of quantum information stored in semiconductor qubits.     

多量子点接触中声表面波驱动下的电子输运

本文研究了多量子点接触中声表面波驱动下的电子输运的声电电流特性.改变每个量子点接触的栅电压用以实现不同高度的静态势垒,从而调节声电电流.并用电子泵模型解释了不同势垒之间的耦合对于电流的影响,根据此模型得到的模拟结果与实验吻合.     

介观系统中不同势阱模型内二维电子气的能级宽度

应用准经典粒子理论和量子力学测不准关系,得到了两类常见势阱(三角形和抛物线)模型中二维电子气的能级宽度.发现:两种模型中二维电子气的能级宽度都随外加电场增强而增宽,在相同电场下抛物线型势阱中的二维电子气的能级宽度比三角形势阱中相应的宽度要窄,同时能级宽度也随能级量子数的增大而增宽,计算结果能与实验较好的吻合.     

Single-shot read-out of an individual electron spin in a quantum dot

Spin is a fundamental property of all elementary particles. Classically it can be viewed as a tiny magnetic moment, but a measurement of an electron spin along the direction of an external magnetic field can have only two outcomes: parallel or anti-parallel to the field. This discreteness reflects the quantum mechanical nature of spin. Ensembles of many spins have found diverse applications ranging from magnetic resonance imaging to magneto-electronic devices, while individual spins are considered as carriers for quantum information. Read-out of single spin states has been achieved using optical techniques, and is within reach of magnetic resonance force microscopy. However, electrical read-out of single spins has so far remained elusive. Here we demonstrate electrical single-shot measurement of the state of an individual electron spin in a semiconductor quantum dot. We use spin-to-charge conversion of a single electron confined in the dot, and detect the single-electron charge using a quantum point contact; the spin measurement visibility is approximately 65%. Furthermore, we observe very long single-spin energy relaxation times (up to approximately 0.85 ms at a magnetic field of 8 T), which are encouraging for the use of electron spins as carriers of quantum information.     

ZnO/Cs2CO3双电子传输层有机太阳能电池

有机太阳能电池的异质结界面是影响其性能的一个重要因素.以氧化锌/碳酸铯作为双电子传输层,改善电子传输层与活性层的界面接触并提高电子传输能力.利用溶胶-凝胶法制备OSCs器件,通过优化的双电子传输层,使基于PTB7-Th:PC₇₁BM的OSCs器件的最高效率达到了8.08%,其相较于ZnO电子传输层器件提高了10.68%.实验表明,由于ZnO/Cs₂CO₃ ETLs具有最佳的表面形貌和光吸收,其填充因子、短路电流密度和电子迁移率都显著提升.这种ZnO/Cs₂CO₃双电子传输层为OSCs性能改善提供了新的思路.     

Nanomechanical oscillations in a single-C60 transistor

The motion of electrons through quantum dots is strongly modified by single-electron charging and the quantization of energy levels. Much effort has been directed towards extending studies of electron transport to chemical nanostructures, including molecules, nanocrystals and nanotubes. Here we report the fabrication of single-molecule transistors based on individual C60 molecules connected to gold electrodes. We perform transport measurements that provide evidence for a coupling between the centre-of-mass motion of the C60 molecules and single-electron hopping--a conduction mechanism that has not been observed previously in quantum dot studies. The coupling is manifest as quantized nano-mechanical oscillations of the C60 molecule against the gold surface, with a frequency of about 1.2 THz. This value is in good agreement with a simple theoretical estimate based on van der Waals and electrostatic interactions between C60 molecules and gold electrodes.     

Aharonov-Bohm干涉仪中的电子输运

利用非平衡格林函数技术,我们研究了在Aharonov-Bohm干涉仪中Andreev反射产生的量子输运特性.我们发现Andreev电流可以用一个入射电子经不同通道的Andreev反射概率来表示,并且Andreev电流有两种振荡周期(h/e和h/2e),这个物理原因是不同通道的入射电子的Andreev反射过程的干涉.通过调节系统参数(如量子点的门电压和系统的磁通等),我们可以得到非常尖锐的Andreev电流的共振峰和反共振谷,这个结果可用来设计敏感的Andreev电流开关.     

Observation of spin Coulomb drag in a two-dimensional electron gas

An electron propagating through a solid carries spin angular momentum in addition to its mass and charge. Of late there has been considerable interest in developing electronic devices based on the transport of spin that offer potential advantages in dissipation, size and speed over charge-based devices. However, these advantages bring with them additional complexity. Because each electron carries a single, fixed value (- e) of charge, the electrical current carried by a gas of electrons is simply proportional to its total momentum. A fundamental consequence is that the charge current is not affected by interactions that conserve total momentum, notably collisions among the electrons themselves. In contrast, the electron's spin along a given spatial direction can take on two values, +/- [planck]/2 (conventionally upward arrow, downward arrow), so that the spin current and momentum need not be proportional. Although the transport of spin polarization is not protected by momentum conservation, it has been widely assumed that, like the charge current, spin current is unaffected by electron-electron (e-e) interactions. Here we demonstrate experimentally not only that this assumption is invalid, but also that over a broad range of temperature and electron density, the flow of spin polarization in a two-dimensional gas of electrons is controlled by the rate of e-e collisions.     

Quantum supercurrent transistors in carbon nanotubes

Electronic transport through nanostructures is greatly affected by the presence of superconducting leads. If the interface between the nanostructure and the superconductors is sufficiently transparent, a dissipationless current (supercurrent) can flow through the device owing to the Josephson effect. A Josephson coupling, as measured by the zero-resistance supercurrent, has been obtained using tunnel barriers, superconducting constrictions, normal metals and semiconductors. The coupling mechanisms vary from tunnelling to Andreev reflection. The latter process has hitherto been observed only in normal-type systems with a continuous density of electronic states. Here we investigate a supercurrent flowing through a discrete density of states-that is, the quantized single particle energy states of a quantum dot, or 'artificial atom', placed between superconducting electrodes. For this purpose, we exploit the quantum properties of finite-sized carbon nanotubes. By means of a gate electrode, successive discrete energy states are tuned on- and off-resonance with the Fermi energy in the superconducting leads, resulting in a periodic modulation of the critical current and a non-trivial correlation between the conductance in the normal state and the supercurrent. We find, in good agreement with existing theory, that the product of the critical current and the normal state resistance becomes an oscillating function, in contrast to being constant as in previously explored regimes.     

由Rashba效应和横向自旋轨道耦合诱发的量子点接触中的0.7反常结构研究

本文研究了在非对称限制势下由Rashba效应和横向自旋-轨道耦合诱发的量子点接触系统中的反常量子输运行为. 研究发现,在一定范围的Rashba相互作用强度下, 电导在0.8×2e2/h附近有一个较弱的坪台. 该坪台电导的值与非对称限制势的偏压有关. 在某个范围的偏压下, 它会随着偏压的增大而减小. 另外, 由于Rashba自旋-轨道耦合效应, 在非对称限制势作用下电子将会自旋极化. 因此, 在没有任何外加磁场的情况下, 采用纯电学手段即可做成量子点接触自旋偏振器.     

Supercurrent reversal in quantum dots

When two superconductors are electrically connected by a weak link--such as a tunnel barrier--a zero-resistance supercurrent can flow. This supercurrent is carried by Cooper pairs of electrons with a combined charge of twice the elementary charge, e. The 2e charge quantum is clearly visible in the height of voltage steps in Josephson junctions under microwave irradiation, and in the magnetic flux periodicity of h/2e (where h is Planck's constant) in superconducting quantum interference devices. Here we study supercurrents through a quantum dot created in a semiconductor nanowire by local electrostatic gating. Owing to strong Coulomb interaction, electrons only tunnel one-by-one through the discrete energy levels of the quantum dot. This nevertheless can yield a supercurrent when subsequent tunnel events are coherent. These quantum coherent tunnelling processes can result in either a positive or a negative supercurrent, that is, in a normal or a pi-junction, respectively. We demonstrate that the supercurrent reverses sign by adding a single electron spin to the quantum dot. When excited states of the quantum dot are involved in transport, the supercurrent sign also depends on the character of the orbital wavefunctions.     

Measurement of the quantum of thermal conductance

The physics of mesoscopic electronic systems has been explored for more than 15 years. Mesoscopic phenomena in transport processes occur when the wavelength or the coherence length of the carriers becomes comparable to, or larger than, the sample dimensions. One striking result in this domain is the quantization of electrical conduction, observed in a quasi-one-dimensional constriction formed between reservoirs of two-dimensional electron gas. The conductance of this system is determined by the number of participating quantum states or 'channels' within the constriction; in the ideal case, each spin-degenerate channel contributes a quantized unit of 2e(2)/h to the electrical conductance. It has been speculated that similar behaviour should be observable for thermal transport in mesoscopic phonon systems. But experiments attempted in this regime have so far yielded inconclusive results. Here we report the observation of a quantized limiting value for the thermal conductance, Gth, in suspended insulating nanostructures at very low temperatures. The behaviour we observe is consistent with predictions for phonon transport in a ballistic, one-dimensional channel: at low temperatures, Gth approaches a maximum value of g0 = pi2kB2T/3h, the universal quantum of thermal conductance.     

Non-symmetric hybrids of noble metal-semiconductor: Interplay of nanoparticles and nanostructures in formation dynamics and plasmonic applications

Noble metal-semiconductor hybrids have been employed as fundamental structures in modern technologies. In these hybrids, their cooperative multiple functions attract much attention in recent years because of the interplay of nanoparticles and nanostructures. In this review, we summarize the interplay of nanoparticles and nanostructures in specific kinds of noble metal-semiconductor hybrids, termed as non-symmetric hybrids of noble metal-semiconductor. It particularly refers to metal nanoparticles (or semiconducting quantum dots) at 1-dimensinal (1D) and 2-dimensional (2D) semiconductor (or metal) nanostructures, in contrast to the core/shell and heterodimer nanostructures. First, we discuss the formation dynamics, especially in chemical growth and assembly as well as physical coating and deposition, of non-symmetric noble metal-semiconductor hybrids with nanoparticles on nanostructures. Second, we introduce the plasmon-related applications of these hybrids in heterogeneous catalysis, optoelectronic or photovoltaic devices, all-optical devices, and surface detection or modulation. This review not only provides a comprehensive understanding of the formation mechanisms of the non-symmetric metal-semiconductor hybrid nanostructures, but also may inspire new ideas of novel functional devices and applications based on these systems.     

Experimental observation of the quantum Hall effect and Berry's phase in graphene

When electrons are confined in two-dimensional materials, quantum-mechanically enhanced transport phenomena such as the quantum Hall effect can be observed. Graphene, consisting of an isolated single atomic layer of graphite, is an ideal realization of such a two-dimensional system. However, its behaviour is expected to differ markedly from the well-studied case of quantum wells in conventional semiconductor interfaces. This difference arises from the unique electronic properties of graphene, which exhibits electron-hole degeneracy and vanishing carrier mass near the point of charge neutrality. Indeed, a distinctive half-integer quantum Hall effect has been predicted theoretically, as has the existence of a non-zero Berry's phase (a geometric quantum phase) of the electron wavefunction--a consequence of the exceptional topology of the graphene band structure. Recent advances in micromechanical extraction and fabrication techniques for graphite structures now permit such exotic two-dimensional electron systems to be probed experimentally. Here we report an experimental investigation of magneto-transport in a high-mobility single layer of graphene. Adjusting the chemical potential with the use of the electric field effect, we observe an unusual half-integer quantum Hall effect for both electron and hole carriers in graphene. The relevance of Berry's phase to these experiments is confirmed by magneto-oscillations. In addition to their purely scientific interest, these unusual quantum transport phenomena may lead to new applications in carbon-based electronic and magneto-electronic devices.     

金属量子结构中的半导体输运性质及其调控

随着后摩尔时代的推进,以硅为基础的半导体器件正接近其性能极限.除了不断引入新的器件结构外,设计具有半导体特性的金属量子结构为微电子器件的性能提升提供了全新的解决方案;而打开金属带隙,使其具有栅极可调半导体输运,是实现其应用的关键.以此为目的,自20世纪末以来,多种金属量子结构便逐步被设计与开发,其输运特性的有效调控也被学术界广泛研究.本文回顾了零维量子点、一维纳米线/纳米管、二维材料/人工二维晶格/超导薄膜等不同维度金属量子结构的研究进展;针对这些结构体系,介绍了其各自的能隙调控思想,总结分析了可控输运特性的实现方法与内在机制,对比展示了材料结构的电学性能及应用前景.基于目前报道的研究结果,提出了未来预期的研究方向:开发金属量子结构中输运与自旋关联特性,设计同时传输电荷与自旋信息,且具有栅极可调输运带隙的全金属沟道材料、结构与器件.     

Electrical conduction through DNA molecules

The question of whether DNA is able to transport electrons has attracted much interest, particularly as this ability may play a role as a repair mechanism after radiation damage to the DNA helix. Experiments addressing DNA conductivity have involved a large number of DNA strands doped with intercalated donor and acceptor molecules, and the conductivity has been assessed from electron transfer rates as a function of the distance between the donor and acceptor sites. But the experimental results remain contradictory, as do theoretical predictions. Here we report direct measurements of electrical current as a function of the potential applied across a few DNA molecules associated into single ropes at least 600 nm long, which indicate efficient conduction through the ropes. We find that the resistivity values derived from these measurements are comparable to those of conducting polymers, and indicate that DNA transports electrical current as efficiently as a good semiconductor. This property, and the fact that DNA molecules of specific composition ranging in length from just a few nucleotides to chains several tens of micrometres long can be routinely prepared, makes DNA ideally suited for the construction of mesoscopic electronic devices.     

Real-time detection of electron tunnelling in a quantum dot

Nanostructures in which strong (Coulomb) interactions exist between electrons are predicted to exhibit temporal electronic correlations. Although there is ample experimental evidence that such correlations exist, electron dynamics in engineered nanostructures have been observed directly only on long timescales. The faster dynamics associated with electrical currents or charge fluctuations are usually inferred from direct (or quasi-direct) current measurements. Recently, interest in electron dynamics has risen, in part owing to the realization that additional information about electronic interactions can be found in the shot noise or higher statistical moments of a direct current. Furthermore, interest in quantum computation has stimulated investigation of quantum bit (qubit) readout techniques, which for many condensed-matter systems ultimately reduces to single-shot measurements of individual electronic charges. Here we report real-time observation of individual electron tunnelling events in a quantum dot using an integrated radio-frequency single-electron transistor. We use electron counting to measure directly the quantum dot's tunnelling rate and the occupational probabilities of its charge state. Our results provide evidence in favour of long (10 micros or more) inelastic scattering times in nearly isolated dots.     

Thermal spin current from a ferromagnet to silicon by Seebeck spin tunnelling

Heat generation by electric current, which is ubiquitous in electronic devices and circuits, raises energy consumption and will become increasingly problematic in future generations of high-density electronics. The control and re-use of heat are therefore important topics for existing and emerging technologies, including spintronics. Recently it was reported that heat flow within a ferromagnet can produce a flow of spin angular momentum-a spin current-and an associated voltage. This spin Seebeck effect has been observed in metallic, insulating and semiconductor ferromagnets with temperature gradients across them. Here we describe and report the demonstration of Seebeck spin tunnelling-a distinctly different thermal spin flow, of purely interfacial nature-generated in a tunnel contact between electrodes of different temperatures when at least one of the electrodes is a ferromagnet. The Seebeck spin current is governed by the energy derivative of the tunnel spin polarization. By exploiting this in ferromagnet-oxide-silicon tunnel junctions, we observe thermal transfer of spins from the ferromagnet to the silicon without a net tunnel charge current. The induced spin accumulation scales linearly with heating power and changes sign when the temperature differential is reversed. This thermal spin current can be used by itself, or in combination with electrical spin injection, to increase device efficiency. The results highlight the engineering of heat transport in spintronic devices and facilitate the functional use of heat.