Spin blockade and coherent dynamics of high-spin states in a three-electron double quantum dot

Asymmetry in a three-electron double quantum dot (DQD) allows spin blockade, when spin-3/2 (quadruplet) states and spin-1/2 (doublet) states have different charge configurations. We have observed this DQD spin blockade near the (1,2)-(2,1) charge transition using a pulsed-gate technique and a charge sensor. We, then, use this spin blockade to detect Landau-Zener-Stuckelberg interference and coherent oscillations between the spin quadruplet and doublet states. Such studies add to our understandings of coherence and control properties of three-spin states in a double dot, which, in turn, would benefit explorations into various qubit encoding schemes in semiconductor nanostructures.