Nonrenewal statistics in quantum transport from the perspective of first-passage and waiting time distributions

Rudge, Samuel L., and Kosov, Daniel S. (2019) Nonrenewal statistics in quantum transport from the perspective of first-passage and waiting time distributions. Physical Review B, 99 (11). 115426.

[img] PDF (Published Version) - Published Version
Restricted to Repository staff only

View at Publisher Website: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.99.1154...
 
10
2


Abstract

The waiting time distribution has, in recent years, proven to be a useful statistical tool for characterizing transport in nanoscale quantum transport. In particular, as opposed to moments of the distribution of transferred charge, which have historically been calculated in the long-time limit, waiting times are able to detect nonrenewal behavior in mesoscopic systems. They have failed, however, to correctly incorporate backtunneling events. Recently, a method has been developed that can describe unidirectional and bidirectional transport on an equal footing: the distribution of first-passage times. Rather than the time between successive electron tunnelings, the first passage refers to the first time the number of extra electrons in the drain reaches +1. Here, we demonstrate the differences between first-passage time statistics and waiting time statistics in transport scenarios where the waiting time either cannot correctly reproduce the higher-order current cumulants or cannot be calculated at all. To this end, we examine electron transport through a molecule coupled to two macroscopic metal electrodes. We model the molecule with strong electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions in three regimes: (i) sequential tunneling and cotunneling for a finite bias voltage through the Anderson model, (ii) sequential tunneling with no temperature gradient and a bias voltage through the Holstein model, and (iii) sequential tunneling at zero bias voltage and a temperature gradient through the Holstein model. We show that for each transport scenario, backtunneling events play a significant role; consequently, the waiting time statistics do not correctly predict the renewal and nonrenewal behavior, whereas the first-passage time distribution does.

Item ID: 57634
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 2469-9969
Related URLs:
Copyright Information: ©2019 American Physical Society
Additional Information:

A version of this publication was included as Chapter 4 and 5 of the following PhD thesis: Rudge, Samuel (2020) Fluctuation statistics and non-renewal behavior in nanoscale quantum transport. PhD thesis, James Cook University, which is available Open Access in ResearchOnline@JCU. Please see the Related URLs for access.

Date Deposited: 21 Mar 2019 23:40
FoR Codes: 51 PHYSICAL SCIENCES > 5104 Condensed matter physics > 510499 Condensed matter physics not elsewhere classified @ 100%
SEO Codes: 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970102 Expanding Knowledge in the Physical Sciences @ 100%
Downloads: Total: 2
More Statistics

Actions (Repository Staff Only)

Item Control Page Item Control Page