Asymmetric Wigner molecules in nanowire Y-junctions
Abstract The possibility of crystalline states of interacting electrons, known as Wigner crystals, has been intensively studied in each of the three dimensions. One-dimensional (1D) systems, however, can be interconnected forming two-dimensional (2D) lattices, being a three-terminal Y-junction (Y-J)...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24583-x |
| _version_ | 1811304586506403840 |
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| author | R. Méndez-Camacho E. Cruz-Hernández |
| author_facet | R. Méndez-Camacho E. Cruz-Hernández |
| author_sort | R. Méndez-Camacho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The possibility of crystalline states of interacting electrons, known as Wigner crystals, has been intensively studied in each of the three dimensions. One-dimensional (1D) systems, however, can be interconnected forming two-dimensional (2D) lattices, being a three-terminal Y-junction (Y-J) the simplest one. Then, even when electrons in the individual branches of the Y are confined in 1D, as the Y-J is in 2D, one could expect significant differences in the crystalline state of the electron gas in a Y-J. With the recent report of fabrication of defect-free GaAs/AlGaAs Y-Js by epitaxial methods, the study of semiconductor Y-Js acquires a special relevance due to its eventual direct exploration. Here, by considering the collective electron interactions using a Yukawa-like effective potential, we explore a two-electron distribution in nanowire Y-Js by modulating its electron density via a screening parameter. We find that the electrons changes from a quasi-continuous to a Wigner molecule-like distribution when the electron density decreases in the Y-J. In bold contrast to the strict 1D case, where equidistant distributions of equal density are obtained in the Wigner regime, in the Y-J equidistant distributions of asymmetric density are induced. We also explore the effect of an external electric field acting along the Y-axis on the asymmetric distributions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:09:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-29db2fc59b8c404e9b44a84e9a406e42 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:09:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-29db2fc59b8c404e9b44a84e9a406e422022-12-22T02:55:02ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-11-0112111010.1038/s41598-022-24583-xAsymmetric Wigner molecules in nanowire Y-junctionsR. Méndez-Camacho0E. Cruz-Hernández1Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis PotosíCoordinación para la Innovación y Aplicación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis PotosíAbstract The possibility of crystalline states of interacting electrons, known as Wigner crystals, has been intensively studied in each of the three dimensions. One-dimensional (1D) systems, however, can be interconnected forming two-dimensional (2D) lattices, being a three-terminal Y-junction (Y-J) the simplest one. Then, even when electrons in the individual branches of the Y are confined in 1D, as the Y-J is in 2D, one could expect significant differences in the crystalline state of the electron gas in a Y-J. With the recent report of fabrication of defect-free GaAs/AlGaAs Y-Js by epitaxial methods, the study of semiconductor Y-Js acquires a special relevance due to its eventual direct exploration. Here, by considering the collective electron interactions using a Yukawa-like effective potential, we explore a two-electron distribution in nanowire Y-Js by modulating its electron density via a screening parameter. We find that the electrons changes from a quasi-continuous to a Wigner molecule-like distribution when the electron density decreases in the Y-J. In bold contrast to the strict 1D case, where equidistant distributions of equal density are obtained in the Wigner regime, in the Y-J equidistant distributions of asymmetric density are induced. We also explore the effect of an external electric field acting along the Y-axis on the asymmetric distributions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24583-x |
| spellingShingle | R. Méndez-Camacho E. Cruz-Hernández Asymmetric Wigner molecules in nanowire Y-junctions Scientific Reports |
| title | Asymmetric Wigner molecules in nanowire Y-junctions |
| title_full | Asymmetric Wigner molecules in nanowire Y-junctions |
| title_fullStr | Asymmetric Wigner molecules in nanowire Y-junctions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Asymmetric Wigner molecules in nanowire Y-junctions |
| title_short | Asymmetric Wigner molecules in nanowire Y-junctions |
| title_sort | asymmetric wigner molecules in nanowire y junctions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24583-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rmendezcamacho asymmetricwignermoleculesinnanowireyjunctions AT ecruzhernandez asymmetricwignermoleculesinnanowireyjunctions |