Random backaction in tunneling of single electrons through nanostructures

TL;DR

This paper develops an $n$-resolved Master equation to model quantum transport with random backaction effects, revealing how local fluctuations influence electron tunneling and noise in nanostructures.

Contribution

It introduces a formalism incorporating stochastic backaction effects into quantum transport models, providing explicit noise quantification for sequential and coherent tunneling.

Findings

Random backaction causes additional noise beyond shot noise.

Explicit expressions for noise are derived for different tunneling regimes.

The formalism captures dynamical fluctuations in electrostatic landscapes.

Abstract

We derive an $n$-resolved Master equation for quantum transport that includes a dependence on the number $n$ of tunneled electrons in system parameters such as tunnel rates and energy levels. We apply the formalism to describe dynamical changes due to random backaction effects, for example due to local fluctuations of the electrostatic landscape during the transport process. We quantify the amount of additional noise on top of electron shot noise due to these fluctuations by giving explicit expressions both for sequential and coherent tunneling examples.