Charge transport through a set of quantum dots with oscillating electron tunnelling rates between the quantum dots and the drain electron reservoir

For nanometer size electronic circuits utilizing mechanical elements such as beams or cantilevers with a single oscillating element, time-dependent electron tunnelling events can appear requiring a knowledge of the different characteristics of these systems. in this paper one such system has been studied. This is a set of six quantum dots (QDs) placed in parallel configuration between two electron reservoirs. The drain electrode is coupled with the quantum dots through time-dependent tunnelling matrix elements. Applying the equation of motion method for appropriate correlation functions, the current flowing in this system was calculated and its dependence on the parameters describing the quantum dots discussed. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.