Electron transport in magnetic quantum point contacts

Abstract

In recent years, the fabrication of novel building blocks for quantum computation- and spintronics devices gained significant attention. The ultimate goal in terms of miniaturization is the creation of single-atom functional elements. Practically, quantum point contacts are frequently used as model systems to study the fundamental electronic transport properties of such mesoscopic systems. A quantum point contact is characterised by a narrow constriction coupling two larger electron reservoirs. In the absence of a magnetic field, the conductance of these quantum point contacts is quantised in multiples of 2e^2/h, the so-called conductance quantum (G_0). However, in the presence of magnetic fields the increased spin-degeneracy often gives rise to a deviation from the idealized behaviour and therefore leads to a change in the characteristic conductance of the quantum point contact. Herein, we illustrate the complex magnetotransport characteristics in quantum point contacts and magnetic heterojunctions. The theoretical framework and experimental concepts are discussed briefly together with the experimental results as well as potential applications.