Freely suspended quantum point contacts

We present a versatile design of freely suspended quantum point contacts with particular large one-dimensional subband quantization energies of up to Δ ε ≈ 10 meV . The nanoscale bridges embedding a two-dimensional electron system are fabricated from AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures by electron-beam lithography and etching techniques. Narrow constrictions define quantum point contacts that are capacitively controlled via local in-plane side gates. Employing transport spectroscopy, we investigate the transition from electrostatic subbands to Landau quantization in a perpendicular magnetic field. The large subband quantization energies allow us to utilize a wide magnetic field range and thereby observe a large exchange split spin-gap of the two lowest Landau-levels.