Mesoscopic Capacitance Oscillations

TL;DR

This paper investigates mesoscopic capacitance oscillations as a function of Fermi energy in a quantum cavity, revealing how they depend on level distribution, interactions, and transmission, with implications for quantum electronic devices.

Contribution

The study introduces a Hartree-Fock approach to analyze capacitance oscillations in mesoscopic cavities, highlighting their dependence on system parameters and contrasting them with charge relaxation resistance.

Findings

Capacitance oscillations depend on level distribution, interactions, and transmission.

Sample-specific oscillations are distinct from quantized charge relaxation resistance.

Experimental observations confirm the theoretical predictions.

Abstract

We examine oscillations as a function of Fermi energy in the capacitance of a mesoscopic cavity connected via a single quantum channel to a metallic contact and capacitively coupled to a back gate. The oscillations depend on the distribution of single levels in the cavity, the interaction strength and the transmission probability through the quantum channel. We use a Hartree-Fock approach to exclude self-interaction. The sample specific capacitance oscillations are in marked contrast to the charge relaxation resistance, which together with the capacitance defines the RC-time, and which for spin polarized electrons is quantized at half a resistance quantum. Both the capacitance oscillations and the quantized charge relaxation resistance are seen in a strikingly clear manner in a recent experiment.