Bound states in the continuum in electronic transport through parallel‐coupled quantum‐dot structures

Abstract

AbstractThe occurrence of bound states in continuum (BICs) are theoretically studied, by investigating the electronic transport through coupled quantum‐dot structures (a quantum‐dot chain and a quantum‐dot ring) embodied in an Aharonov–Bohm interferometer. It is found that for the structure of a quantum‐dot chain, the BICs will come into being only under the condition of the same‐numbered quantum dots coupled to the quantum dots in the arms of the interferometer. But with respect to the quantum‐dot ring, the occurrence of BICs is remarkable, independent of the number of quantum dots in the ring. Furthermore, by the presence of an appropriate magnetic flux through the interferometer, the linear conductance spectrum of the (2n + 1)‐quantum‐dot ring (n ∈ integer) is the same as that of the 2n ‐quantum‐dot chain, on account of the occurrence of BICs in electron transport through these two kinds of systems. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)