R. Kotlyar et S. Dassarma, PERSISTENT CURRENT IN AN ARTIFICIAL QUANTUM-DOT MOLECULE, Physical review. B, Condensed matter, 55(16), 1997, pp. 10205-10208
Using an exact diagonalization technique within a generalized Mott-Hub
bard Hamiltonian, we predict the existence of a ground-state'persisten
t current in coherent two-dimensional semiconductor quantum-dot arrays
pierced by an external magnetic flux. The calculated persistent curre
nt, which arises from the nontrivial dependence of the ground-state en
ergy on the external flux, exists in isolated arrays without any perio
dic boundary condition. The sensitivity of the calculated persistent c
urrent to interaction and disorder is shown to reflect the intricacies
of various Anderson-Mott-Hubbard quantum phase transitions in two-dim
ensional systems.