The anomalous acoustoelectric current in single-electron transport devices with three pairs of shallow-etched gates

►We design single-electron transport devices in an AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure with three pairs of shallow-etched gates in series, in order to study the influence of the modulation effect in systems of multiple etched gates. ►In our experiment, the middle gate is set open, and the other two sideward gates are set in closed regime. When the voltage applied to one of the sideward gates is swept from closed regime to open regime, we observe an abnormal phenomenon of a triangular-shape peak of the acoustoelectric current. ►Compared with previous experimental results and the structures of devices, we give a simple theoretical model to explain the abnormal phenomenon. In our model, we identify that change of the electron reservoir's chemical potential is considered as the physical origin of the experimental phenomenon.