Bonding and anti-bonding states of artificial molecules have been realized in experiments by directly coupling two quantum dots. Without a direct coupling between two nearby quantum dots, here we show that a continuous crossover, from symmetric to anti-symmetric molecular state, can be achieved by changing the flux through a double quantum dot Aharonov-Bohm (AB) interferometer. We explicitly present the flux-dependent real-time processes of molecular-state formation. In contrast to the transport current, which has a 2π period, the quantum state of the DQD molecule has a 4π period in the AB flux.
@article{arxiv.1204.5931,
title = {Coherent control of artificial molecules using an Aharonov-Bohm magnetic flux},
author = {Matisse Wei-Yuan Tu and Wei-Min Zhang and Franco Nori},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1204.5931},
year = {2012}
}