ABSTRACT
In recent years the electronic properties of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have attracted considerable attention because these zero-dimensional objects exhibit properties characteristic of atomic few-electron systems. QDs are also regarded as promising candidates for future device applications, not least of which is the possibility of realizing a scalable quantum computer. This chapter compares addition energy spectra and shell structures of the circular and rectangular QDs in the absence of a magnetic field. It discusses charging processes and evolution of spin states under application of magnetic field. The chapter performs comparison with experimentally measured charging diagrams in a magnetic field. Since vertical QDs are usually much smaller than the physical dimensions of the device, the Kohn-Sham wave functions actually vanish long before reaching the device boundaries.
