Violation of detailed balance for charge-transfer statistics in Coulomb-blockade systems

TL;DR

This paper explores how Coulomb-blockade systems can exhibit steady states that violate detailed balance, leading to distinct charge-transfer statistics for tunneling in and out, which can be experimentally tested.

Contribution

It introduces the concept that detailed balance can be violated in Coulomb-blockade systems and demonstrates this with two model systems, highlighting new experimental possibilities.

Findings

Charge-transfer statistics differ for tunneling in and out.

Violation of detailed balance can occur in both biased and unbiased systems.

Experimental verification via time-resolved charge measurements is feasible.

Abstract

We discuss the possibility to generate in Coulomb-blockade systems steady states that violate detailed balance. This includes both voltage biased and non-biased scenarios. The violation of detailed balance yields that the charge-transfer statistics for electrons tunneling into an island experiencing strong Coulomb interaction is different from the statistics for tunneling out. This can be experimentally tested by time-resolved measurement of the island's charge state. We demonstrate this claim for two model systems.