Magnetic Polarization Currents in Double Quantum Dot Devices

Abstract

We investigate coherent electron transport through a parallel circuit of two quantum dots, each of which has a single tunable energy level. Electrons tunneling via each dot from the left lead interfere with each other at the right lead. It is shown that due to the quantum interference of tunneling electrons the double quantum dot device is magnetically polarized by coherent circulation of electrons on the closed path through the dots and the leads. Varying the energy level of each dot one can make the magnetic states of the device to be either {\em up-}, {\em non-}, or {\em down-} polarization. It is shown that for experimentally accessible temperatures and applied biases the magnetic polarization currents should be sufficiently large to observe with current nanotechnology.