Current characteristics of a one-dimensional Hubbard chain: The role of correlation and dissipation

TL;DR

This paper investigates electronic transport in a one-dimensional Hubbard chain under an electric field, revealing how correlations and dissipation influence current characteristics through resonant tunneling and Wannier-Stark resonances.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of steady-state current in an interacting 1D Hubbard chain with dissipation, highlighting the role of anti-ferromagnetic correlations and non-local self-energy effects.

Findings

Resonant-tunneling-like structures dominate the current characteristics.

Wannier-Stark resonances are linked to anti-ferromagnetic correlations.

Non-local self-energy effects are significant in understanding the behavior.

Abstract

We study the electronic transport in an infinite one-dimensional Hubbard chain, driven by a homogeneous electric field. The physical chain is coupled to fermion bath chains, in order to account for dissipation and to prevent the occurrence of Bloch Oscillations. The steady state current is computed in the frame of Keldysh Green's functions in Cluster Perturbation Theory. The current characteristics are dominated by resonant-tunneling-like structures, which can be traced back to Wannier-Stark resonances due to anti-ferromagnetic correlations. The same current characteristic occurs in a non-interacting Wannier-Stark model with alternating on-site energies. Non-local effects of the self energy can be accounted for the observed physical behaviour.