Spin-orbit coupling, antilocalization, and parallel magnetic fields in quantum dots

Phys Rev Lett. 2002 Dec 30;89(27):276803. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.276803. Epub 2002 Dec 18.

Abstract

We investigate antilocalization due to spin-orbit coupling in ballistic GaAs quantum dots. Antilocalization that is prominent in large dots is suppressed in small dots, as anticipated theoretically. Parallel magnetic fields suppress both antilocalization and also, at larger fields, weak localization, consistent with random matrix theory results once orbital coupling of the parallel field is included. In situ control of spin-orbit coupling in dots is demonstrated as a gate-controlled crossover from weak localization to antilocalization.