Spin qubits have been successfully realized in electrostatically defined, lateral few-electron quantum dot circuits. Qubit readout typically involves spin to charge information conversion, followed by a charge measurement made using a nearby biased quantum point contact. It is critical to understand the back-action disturbances resulting from such a measurement approach. Previous studies have indicated that quantum point contact detectors emit phonons which are then absorbed by nearby qubits. We report here the observation of a pronounced back-action effect in multiple dot circuits where the absorption of detector-generated phonons is strongly modified by a quantum interference effect, and show that the phenomenon is well described by a theory incorporating both the quantum point contact and coherent phonon absorption. Our combined experimental and theoretical results suggest strategies to suppress back-action during the qubit readout procedure.

The capacitive couplings between gate-defined quantum dots and their gates vary considerably as a function of applied gate voltages. The conversion between gate voltages and the relevant energy scales is usually performed in a regime of rather symmetric dot-lead tunnel couplings strong enough to allow direct transport measurements. Unfortunately, this standard procedure fails for weak and possibly asymmetric tunnel couplings, often the case in realistic devices. We have developed methods to determine the gate voltage to energy conversion accurately in the different regimes of dot-lead tunnel couplings and demonstrate strong variations of the conversion factors. Our concepts can easily be extended to triple quantum dots or even larger arrays.

The energy relaxation channels of hot electrons far from thermal equilibrium in a degenerate two-dimensional electron system are investigated in transport experiments in a mesoscopic three-terminal device. We observe a transition from two dimensions at zero magnetic field to quasi--one-dimensional scattering of the hot electrons in a strong magnetic field. In the two-dimensional case electron-electron scattering is the dominant relaxation mechanism, while the emission of optical phonons becomes more and more important as the magnetic field is increased. The observation of up to 11 optical phonons emitted per hot electron allows us to determine the onset energy of LO phonons in GaAs at cryogenic temperatures with a high precision, $\eph=36.0\pm0.1\,$meV. Numerical calculations of electron-electron scattering and the emission of optical phonons underline our interpretation in terms of a transition to one-dimensional dynamics.

A three-terminal device based on a two-dimensional electron system is investigated in the regime of non-equilibrium transport. Excited electrons scatter with the cold Fermi sea and transfer energy and momentum to other electrons. A geometry analogous to a water jet pump is used to create a jet pump for electrons. Because of its phenomenological similarity we name the observed behavior "electronic Venturi effect".

SUPPL. FIG. 1: The black line in a and b plots the conductance (axis on the right) of QPC-I as a function of gate voltage Vd3. The QPC features a pronounced 0.7 structure, the first plateau is not shown. (a) The blue dotted line is the derivative of the conductance dG/dVd3 (in arbitrary units). The red dashed line shows the expected contrast proportional to dG/dVd3 G of the QPC detector calculated from the pinch-off curve (black line). The black squares are direct measurements of the contrast ∆IQPC/IQPC obtained across the charging lines of QD C, where the charge changes by one electron. (b) The green dashed-dotted line is the expected shot noise spectral density of the QPC in arbitrary units. It is calculated from the pinch-off curve.

Scattering of otherwise ballistic electrons far from equilibrium is investigated in a cold two-dimensional electron system. The interaction between excited electrons and the degenerate Fermi liquid induces a positive charge in a nanoscale region which would be negatively charged for diffusive transport at local thermal equilibrium. In a three-terminal device we observe avalanche amplification of electrical current, resulting in a situation comparable to the Venturi effect in hydrodynamics. Numerical calculations using a random phase approximation are in agreement with our data and suggest Coulomb interaction as the dominant scattering mechanism.

Quantum point contacts (QPCs) are commonly employed to detect capacitively the charge state of coupled quantum dots (QDs). An indirect backaction of a biased QPC onto a double QD laterally defined in a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure is observed. Energy is emitted by nonequilibrium charge carriers in the leads of the biased QPC. Part of this energy is absorbed by the double QD where it causes charge fluctuations that can be observed under certain conditions in its stability diagram. By investigating the spectrum of the absorbed energy, we find that both acoustic phonons and Coulomb interaction can be involved in the backaction, depending on the geometry and coupling constants.

D. Taubert, M. Pioro-Ladrière, D. Schröer, D. Harbusch, A. S. Sachrajda, and S. Ludwig Center for NanoScience and Fakultät für Physik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, D-80539 München, Germany Quantum Spin Information Project, ICORP, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Atsugi-shi, 243-0198, Japan Institute For Microstructural Sciences, NRC, Ottawa, K1A 0R6, Canada (Received 25 January 2008; published 2 May 2008)

Charge detection utilizing a highly biased quantum point contact has become the most effective probe for studying few electron quantum dot circuits. Measurements on double and triple quantum dot circuits is performed to clarify a back action role of charge sensing on the confined electrons. The quantum point contact triggers inelastic transitions, which occur quite generally. Under specific device and measurement conditions these transitions manifest themselves as bounded regimes of telegraph noise within a stability diagram. A nonequilibrium transition from artificial atomic to molecular behavior is identified. Consequences for quantum information applications are discussed.