Quantum mechanics of the electromagnetic environment in the single-junction coulomb blockade

K. Flensberg; S. M. Girvin; M. Jonson; D. R. Penn; M. D. Stiles

doi:10.1088/0031-8949/1992/T42/032

Quantum mechanics of the electromagnetic environment in the single-junction coulomb blockade

K. Flensberg, S. M. Girvin, M. Jonson, D. R. Penn, M. D. Stiles

Condensed Matter Physics

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We discuss the interaction of a tunneling electron with its electromagnetic environment when the latter either is in equilibrium or includes an applied microwave field. The environment of an isolated tunnel junction is modeled by a set of harmonic oscillators that are suddenly displaced when an electron tunnels across the junction. We treat these displaced oscillators quantum mechanically, predicting behavior that is very different than that predicted by a semiclassical treatment. In particular, the shape of the zero-bias anomaly caused by the Coulomb blockade (a single-electron charging effect), is found to be strongly dependent on the impedance, Z(ω), of the leads connected to the junction. Comparison with three recent experiments demonstrates that the quantum mechanical treatment of this model correctly describes the essential physics in these systems.

Original language	English
Journal	Physica Scripta
Volume	1992
Issue number	T42
Pages (from-to)	189-206
Number of pages	18
ISSN	0031-8949
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-8949/1992/T42/032
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 1992

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T1 - Quantum mechanics of the electromagnetic environment in the single-junction coulomb blockade

AU - Flensberg, K.

AU - Girvin, S. M.

AU - Jonson, M.

AU - Penn, D. R.

AU - Stiles, M. D.

PY - 1992/1/1

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N2 - We discuss the interaction of a tunneling electron with its electromagnetic environment when the latter either is in equilibrium or includes an applied microwave field. The environment of an isolated tunnel junction is modeled by a set of harmonic oscillators that are suddenly displaced when an electron tunnels across the junction. We treat these displaced oscillators quantum mechanically, predicting behavior that is very different than that predicted by a semiclassical treatment. In particular, the shape of the zero-bias anomaly caused by the Coulomb blockade (a single-electron charging effect), is found to be strongly dependent on the impedance, Z(ω), of the leads connected to the junction. Comparison with three recent experiments demonstrates that the quantum mechanical treatment of this model correctly describes the essential physics in these systems.

AB - We discuss the interaction of a tunneling electron with its electromagnetic environment when the latter either is in equilibrium or includes an applied microwave field. The environment of an isolated tunnel junction is modeled by a set of harmonic oscillators that are suddenly displaced when an electron tunnels across the junction. We treat these displaced oscillators quantum mechanically, predicting behavior that is very different than that predicted by a semiclassical treatment. In particular, the shape of the zero-bias anomaly caused by the Coulomb blockade (a single-electron charging effect), is found to be strongly dependent on the impedance, Z(ω), of the leads connected to the junction. Comparison with three recent experiments demonstrates that the quantum mechanical treatment of this model correctly describes the essential physics in these systems.

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Quantum mechanics of the electromagnetic environment in the single-junction coulomb blockade

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