Edge state formation in magnetic quantum structures

Abstract

The formation of magnetic edge states is investigated for magnetic quantum structures with inhomogeneous magnetic fields such as a magnetic quantum dot (B = 0 for r < r(0) and B not equal 0 elsewhere) and a magnetic quantum ring (B = 0 for r(1) < r < r(2) and B not equal 0 elsewhere). It is found that the eigenenergy spectra for these structures critically depend on the number of missing flux quanta and eigenstates which are composed of bulk Landau levels and magnetic edge states. The magnetic edge states correspond well with the classical particle trajectories which circulate either clockwise or counterclockwise along the boundary between magnetic domains. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.