In-gap states of the quantum dot coupled between a normal and superconducting lead

Abstract

We study the in-gap states of the quantum dot hybridized to a conducting and superconducting electrode. The usual proximity effect suppresses electronic states over the entire subgap regime $|\omega| < \Delta$, where $\Delta$ denotes the energy gap of superconductor. Owing to the Andreev scattering there can, however, emerge additional in-gap states whose line-broadening (inverse life-time) depends on the coupling to a normal electrode. We show that even number of such bound states appears in the quantum dot spectrum, depending on a competition between the Coulomb repulsion and the induced on-dot pairing. We discuss signatures of these in-gap states showing up in the tunneling conductance, especially in a low-bias regime dominated by the Andreev channel.