Preparation of Non-equilibrium Nuclear Spin States in Double Quantum Dots

Abstract

We theoretically study the dynamic polarization of lattice nuclear spins in GaAs double quantum dots containing two electrons. In our prior work [Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 226807 (2010)] we identified three regimes of long-term dynamics, including the build up of a large difference in the Overhauser fields across the dots, the saturation of the nuclear polarization process associated with formation of so-called "dark states," and the elimination of the difference field. In particular, when the dots are different sizes we found that the Overhauser field becomes larger in the smaller dot. Here we present a detailed theoretical analysis of these problems including a model of the polarization dynamics and the development of a new numerical method to efficiently simulate semiclassical central-spin problems. When nuclear spin noise is included, the results agree with our prior work indicating that large difference fields and dark states are stable configurations, while the elimination of the difference field is unstable; however, in the absence of noise we find all three steady states are achieved depending on parameters. These results are in good agreement with dynamic nuclear polarization experiments in double quantum dots.

11 pages main text, 8 figures, V2: minor changes, V3: minor changes

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Cited by in corpus (13)

• Semiconductor Spin Qubits
• Theory of dynamic nuclear polarization and feedback in quantum dots
• Shortcuts to Dynamic Polarization
• Persistent dark states in anisotropic central spin models
• High-fidelity quantum memory utilizing inhomogeneous nuclear polarization in a quantum dot
• The theory of coherent dynamic nuclear polarization in quantum dots
• Theory of box-model hyperfine couplings and transport signatures of long-range nuclear-spin coherence in a quantum-dot spin valve
• Balancing coherent and dissipative dynamics in a central-spin system
• The formation of a nuclear-spin dark state in silicon
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• Self-Quenching of Nuclear Spin Dynamics in Central Spin Problem
• Entangling nuclear spins in distant quantum dots via an electron bus
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