Theory of charge transport in molecular junctions: From Coulomb blockade to coherent tunneling
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Emerging Material and Advanced Devices and Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China)
We study charge transport through molecular junctions in the presence of electron-electron interaction using the nonequilibrium Green's function techniques and the renormalized perturbation theory. In the perturbation treatment, the zeroth-order Hamiltonian of the molecular junction is composed of independent single-impurity Anderson's models, which act as the channels where charges come through or occupy, and the interactions between different channels are treated as the perturbation. Using this scheme, the effects of molecule-lead, electron-electron, and hopping interactions are included nonperturbatively, and the charge transport processes can thus be studied in the intermediate parameter range from the Coulomb blockade to the coherent tunneling regimes. The concept of quasi-particles is introduced to describe the kinetic process of charge transport, and then the electric current can be studied and calculated. As a test study, the Hubbard model is used as the molecular Hamiltonian to simulate dimeric and trimeric molecular junctions. Various nonlinear current-voltage characteristics, including Coulomb blockade, negative differential resistance, rectification, and current hysteresis, are shown in the calculations, and the mechanisms are elucidated.
- OSTI ID:
- 22420015
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 141, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-9606
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CHARGE TRANSPORT
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRON-ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON-ELECTRON COUPLING
ELECTRON-ELECTRON INTERACTIONS
ELECTRONS
GREEN FUNCTION
HAMILTONIANS
HUBBARD MODEL
IMPURITIES
MOLECULES
PERTURBATION THEORY
QUASI PARTICLES
TUNNEL EFFECT