Magnetic edge states in a magnetic quantum dot

Abstract

The formation of magnetic edge states along with corresponding classical trajectories is investigated for a magnetic quantum dot with inhomogeneous distributions of magnetic fields. The magnetic edge states are found to circulate either clockwise or counterclockwise along the boundary region of the quantum dot, depending on the number of missing flux quanta, and exhibit quite different properties, as compared to the conventional ones which are induced by electrostatic confinements in the quantum Hall system. [S0031-9007(98)05359-9].