Charge transport through quantum dots via time-varying tunnel coupling

We describe a mechanism for charge pumping through tunnel-coupled quantum dots in the regime of strong Coulomb blockade. The quantum state of an additional electron within the structure is steered by changing the tunneling couplings between neighboring dots. Appropriate tailoring of the interdot tunneling rates allows one to design the instantaneous eigenvalues of the system Hamiltonian. A combination of adiabatic following and Landau-Zener tunneling results in the transfer of charge from one dot to the neighboring one. Coupling to electron reservoirs via weak tunnel barriers then allows one to implement an electron pump.