Quantized charge pumping by surface acoustic waves in ballistic quasi-1D channels

Abstract

Adiabatic pumping of electrons induced by surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in a ballistic quasi-1D quantum channel is considered using an exactly solvable tight-binding model for non-interacting electrons. The single-electron degrees of freedom, responsible for acoustoelectric current quantization, are related to the transmission resonances. We study the influence of experimentally controllable parameters (SAW power, gate voltage, source-drain bias, amplitude and phase of a secondary SAW beam) on the plateau-like structure of the acoustoelectric current. The results are consistent with existing experimental observations.