Magnetization of nanoscopic quantum rings and dots

The magnetization of one- and two-electron quantum dots and a series of quantum rings with increasingly larger inner radii is calculated using a three-dimensional model with realistic finite confining potential, including strain and Coulomb effects. A change in topology leads to a sharp response in the calculated magnetization. The magnetization is also extremely sensitive to changes in the length of the inner radius of the ring. These results suggest the use of magnetization as a tool, complementary to far-infrared spectroscopy, for probing the topology of nanocrystals. Our calculations also reveal that atomic Zeeman splitting and, more especially, electron-electron interaction induce significant changes in the magnetic moment of a quantum ring of nanoscopic size.