Imaging a coupled quantum dot-quantum point contact system

We have quantitatively studied the effect of charge traps on the electrical conductance of a quantum dot and a capacitively coupled quantum point contact. Using the sharp metallic tip of a low-temperature scanning force microscope as a scanned gate, we could localize the traps. The quantum point contact served as a charge detector and allowed us to distinguish single electron charging events in several traps from charging events on the dot. We used the quantum dot to analyze the tip-induced potential quantitatively and found its shape to be independent of the voltage applied to the tip within a certain range of parameters. We estimate that the trap density is below 0.1% of the doping density, that the charging energy of a trap is three times higher than that of the quantum dot, and that the interaction energy between the quantum dot and a trap is a significant portion of the dot’s charging energy. Possibly, such charge traps are the reason for frequently observed parametric charge rearrangements.