Few-electron semiconductor quantum dots in magnetic field

Usually, semiconductor quantum dots represent a two-dimensional nanoscale system with few electrons confined in a semiconductor host crystal. Properties of few-electron quantum dots in the weak magnetic regime are explained well through single-electron theory concepts. However, as the strength of the external magnetic field increases the confined electrons in the quantum dot start to manifest collective quantum behavior as seen in the integer and fractional quantum Hall effect regime. In the limit of strong magnetic field, we see the confined electronic states in a semiconductor quantum dot transforming into Laughlin-like states that describe strongly correlated electronic systems in the quantum Hall regime. While this is expected, our calculations further indicate that even a classical model of confined electrons provides quite an accurate presentation, suggesting that in this regime electrons stabilize in relatively rigid geometric structures. (C) 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim