Negative differential resistance due to the resonance coupling of a quantum-dot dimer

Abstract

Electron tunneling through a coupled quantum-dot dimer under a dc-bias is investigated. We find that a peak in the $I$-$V$ curve appears at low temperature when two discrete electronic states in the two quantum dots are aligned with each other -- resonance coupling. This leads to a negative differential resistance. The peak height and width depend on the dot-dot coupling. At high temperature, the peak disappears due to thermal smearing effects.