Adiabatic quantum pumping and rectification effects in interacting quantum dots

TL;DR

This paper derives a formula for adiabatic charge pumping in interacting quantum dots, revealing how tunneling rate variations induce both pumping and rectification currents, with implications for experimental observations.

Contribution

It introduces a new theoretical framework combining scattering matrix and Green's function approaches to describe adiabatic pumping and rectification effects in interacting quantum dots.

Findings

The current includes both pumping and rectification-like terms.

The rectification term depends on the time-derivative of the tunneling phase.

The theory relates to recent experimental results in quantum dots.

Abstract

We derive a formula describing the adiabatically pumped charge through an interacting quantum dot within the scattering matrix and Green's function approach. We show that when the tunneling rates between the leads and the dot are varied adiabatically in time, both in modulus and phase, the current induced in the dot consists of two terms, the pumping current and a rectification-like term. The last contribution arises from the time-derivative of the tunneling phase and can have even or odd parity with respect to the pumping phase \varphi. The rectification-like term is also discussed in relation to some recent experiments in quantum-dots.