Linear chain of coupled quantum dots

Abstract

A linearly coupled chain of spin-polarized quantum dots is investigated under the condition that the number of electrons is equal to or less than the number of the dots. The chemical potential of the system, mu(N) = E(N) - E(N-1), satisfies (mu(N) + mu(Nt+2-N))/2 approximate to V + 2t [N, N-t, V, E(N), and t are the number of electrons, the number of dots, the strength of nearest-neighbor electron-electron interactions, the total ground-state energy, and the hopping integral between two adjacent dots]. This property will be reflected in the spacing between the conductance peaks. The electron-density structures are determined using a quantum Monte Carlo method. As the number of electrons is varied, several correlated structures are found that are commensurate/incommensurate with the periodic dot system. Hartree-Fock theory fails to predict the correct electronic structures of this system because several nearly degenerate solutions exist.