  We investigate coherent transport through open lateral quantum dots using
recursive Green's function technique, incorporating exchange-correlation
effects within local spin-density approximation (LSDA). At low electron
densities the current is spin-polarized and electron density in the dot shows a
strong spin polarization. As the electron density increases the spin
polarization in the dot gradually diminishes. These findings are consistent
with available experimental observations. Results of our LSDA-based modeling
indicate that utilization of the simplified approaches that use
phenomenological parameters and/or model Hamiltonians might not be always
reliable for theoretical predictions as well as interpretations of the
experiments.
