Abstract
We consider charge transport through a nanoscopic object, e.g., single molecules, short nanotubes, or quantum dots, that is weakly coupled to metallic electrodes. We account for several levels of the molecule/quantum dot with level-dependent coupling strengths, and allow for relaxation of the excited states. The current–voltage characteristics as well as the current noise are calculated within first-order perturbation expansion in the coupling strengths. For the case of asymmetric coupling to the leads we predict negative-differential-conductance accompanied with super-Poissonian noise. Both effects are destroyed by fast relaxation processes. The nonmonotonic behavior of the shot noise as a function of bias and relaxation rate reflects the details of the electronic structure and level-dependent coupling strengths.
- Received 25 June 2004
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.71.045341
©2005 American Physical Society