An electron motion induced by magnetic field pulse in bi-layer quantum wire

Tomasz Chwiej

Published 2016-01-15Version 1

We consider theoretically the possibility of an electron acceleration in quantum wire by short magnetic pulses lasted bewteen several to few tens of picoseconds. We show that such possibility exists provided that, the electron is initially localized in part of nanowire that consists of two vertically aligned layers which are tunnel coupled. When a horizontally directed magnetic field, changeable in time, is also perpendicular to the main axis of a wire, it generates a rotational electric field in it which pushes the upper and the lower parts of the electron wavepacket in opposite directions. We have found however, that for an asymmetric vertical confinement, the majority part of charge density starts to move in the direction of local electric field in its layer but it also drags the minority part in the same direction what results in coherent motion of an entire wavepacket. We discuss the dynamics of this motion in dependence on the time characteristics of the magnetic pulse.