Single-parameter non-adiabatic quantized charge pumping

Kaestner, B.; Kashcheyevs, V.; Amakawa, S.; Li, L.; Blumenthal, M. D.; Janssen, T. J. B. M.; Hein, G.; Pierz, K.; Weimann, T.; Siegner, U.; Schumacher, H. W.

Single-parameter non-adiabatic quantized charge pumping

Authors

Description

Controlled charge pumping in an AlGaAs/GaAs gated nanowire by single-parameter modulation is studied experimentally and theoretically. Transfer of integral multiples of the elementary charge per modulation cycle is clearly demonstrated. A simple theoretical model shows that such a quantized current can be generated via loading and unloading of a dynamic quasi-bound state. It demonstrates that non-adiabatic blockade of unwanted tunnel events can obliterate the requirement of having at least two phase-shifted periodic signals to realize quantized pumping. The simple configuration without multiple pumping signals might find wide application in metrological experiments and quantum electronics.
4 pages, 4 figures