Title: Quantum transport in one-dimensional GaAs hole systems

Authors: A.R. Hamilton, O. Klochan, R. Danneau, W.R. Clarke, L.H. Ho, A.P. Micolich, M.Y. Simmons, M. Pepper, D.A. Ritchie, K. Muraki, Y. Hirayama

Addresses: School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. ' School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. ' School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. ' School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. ' School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. ' School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. ' School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. ' Cavendish Laboratory, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OHE, UK. ' Cavendish Laboratory, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OHE, UK. ' NTT Basic Research Laboratory, NTT Corporation, 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198, Japan. ' NTT Basic Research Laboratory, NTT Corporation, 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198, Japan

Abstract: In many advanced semiconductor devices, the physical dimensions are sufficiently small that quantum physics becomes important in determining the device behaviour. A celebrated example is the quantum wire, where in the absence of scattering the conductance is quantised in units of 2e²/h. Although electron quantum wires have been studied extensively for almost two decades, the development of hole quantum wires has been a significant challenge, limiting studies of hole-based devices. Here we review our recent work on hole quantum wires, and show how they can be used to probe the spin properties of hole systems. The ability to fabricate ballistic quantum wires, and control their spin properties using electrical gate biases, may have implications for future spintronic devices.

Keywords: mesoscopic; hole quantum wires; quantum point contact; conductance quantisation; spin orbit; gallium arsenide; semiconductor devices; spin properties; spintronic devices; electrical gate biases; nanotechnology; Australia; quantum electronics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2008.016921

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2008 Vol.5 No.2/3, pp.318 - 330

Published online: 30 Jan 2008 *

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