title: Bound states, electron localization and spin correlations in low-dimensional GaAs/AlGaAs quantum constrictions.
abstract: We analyze the occurrence of local  magnetization and the effects of electron localization in different models of quantum point contacts (QPCs) using spin-relaxed density functional theory (DFT/LSDA) by means of numerical simulations. In the case of soft confinement potentials the degree of localization is weak and we therefore observe only traces of partial electron localization in the middle of the QPC. In the pinch-off regime there is, however, distinct accumulation at the QPC edges. At the other end, strong confinement potential, low-electron density in the leads and top or implant gates favor electron localization. In such cases one may create a variety of electron configurations from a single localized electron to more complex structures with multiple rows and Wigner lattices.
authors: Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping, Sweden.
authors: I I
authors: II
authors: Yakimenko
authors: V S
authors: VS
authors: Tsykunov
authors: K-F
authors: KF
authors: Berggren
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry*; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004579:Electron Transport; D005708:Gallium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D045663:Quantum Dots; D011789:Quantum Theory; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; C043055:gallium arsenide; D005708:Gallium; D000535:Aluminum