Phonon effects in molecular transistors

TL;DR

This paper investigates how electron-phonon interactions influence molecular transistor conductance, emphasizing the importance of phonon equilibration and its observable effects on electronic transport properties.

Contribution

It introduces a rate equation approach to analyze phonon effects, highlighting the significance of phonon-induced renormalizations and equilibration in molecular transistors.

Findings

Phonon interactions significantly modify the density of states and dot-lead coupling.

Phonon equilibration impacts the conductance and can be experimentally observed.

The formalism captures the interplay between electron transport and phonon dynamics.

Abstract

A rate equation formalism is used to determine the effect of electron-phonon coupling on the conductance of a molecule. Interplay between the phonon-induced renormalization of the density of states on the quantum dot and the phonon-induced renormalization of the dot-lead coupling is found to be important. Whether or not the phonons are able to equilibrate in a time rapid compared to the transit time of an electron through the dot is found to affect the conductance. Observable signatures of phonon equilibration are presented.