Ground and excited states of three-electron quantum dots

We determine the rich phase diagrams for three-electron parabolic potential quantum dots in both the strong-correlation and the high-magnetic-field regimes, by employing an accurate non-variational approach. Through the clean separation of spatial rotation from kinematic rotation, the hidden symmetry of the zero angular momentum state is revealed. We also show that although the ground state for arbitrary total angular momentum (L) forms an electronic Wigner molecule, the highest low-energy state for large L is liquid-like in character and beyond a classical description. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.