Correlated electron transport assisted by surface acoustic waves in micron-separated quasi-one-dimensional channels

We present the experimental investigation of correlated electron transport through three micron-separated quasi-one-dimensional channels formed in an Al_xGa_1-xAs/GaAs heterostructure. A surface acoustic wave captures electrons from the two-dimensional electron gas and drives them through two depleted channels connected with an open ballistic channel, where different potential situations are defined by three etched gates placed in series. Experimental results show an acoustoelectric current transition with two sets of quantized plateau which demonstrates the electron-electron correlation due to Coulomb interactions. This basic scheme is toward a physical implementation of quantum logic gates and the realization of quantum entanglement.