Vertical quantum dots with elliptically deformed cross sections

Abstract Few-electron vertical quantum dot artificial atoms with circular and elliptically deformed cross sections are investigated. Because of the high symmetry of the lateral confining potential, circular dots show a pronounced shell structure. With the lifting of level degeneracies, even a small deformation in shape is found to radically alter the shell structure leading to significant modifications of the addition energy spectra, and to induce change in the total spin.