Gate-controlled terahertz single electron photovoltaic effect in self-assembled InAs quantum dots

We have observed a terahertz (THz) induced single electron photovoltaic effect in self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs). We used a single electron transistor (SET) geometry that consists of a single InAs QD and nanogap electrodes coupled with a bowtie antenna. Under a weak, broadband THz radiation,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2015-09, Vol.107 (10)
Main Authors: Zhang, Y., Shibata, K., Nagai, N., Ndebeka-Bandou, C., Bastard, G., Hirakawa, K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ANTENNAS
Applied physics
ASYMMETRY
Broadband
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS
ELECTRODES
ELECTRONS
ENERGY DEPENDENCE
Energy harvesting
GEOMETRY
INDIUM ARSENIDES
Photoelectric effect
Photoelectric emission
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
QUANTUM DOTS
Self-assembly
Single-electron transistors
TRANSISTORS
TUNNEL EFFECT
WAVE FUNCTIONS
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Summary:We have observed a terahertz (THz) induced single electron photovoltaic effect in self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs). We used a single electron transistor (SET) geometry that consists of a single InAs QD and nanogap electrodes coupled with a bowtie antenna. Under a weak, broadband THz radiation, a photocurrent induced by THz intersublevel transitions in the QD is generated even when no bias voltage is applied to the SET. The observed single electron photovoltaic effect is due to an energy-dependent tunneling asymmetry in the QD-SET. Moreover, the tunneling asymmetry changes not only with the shell but also with the electron number in the QD, suggesting the manybody nature of the electron wavefunctions. The THz photovoltaic effect observed in the present QD-SET system may have potential applications to nanoscale energy harvesting.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4930023