Time-dependent electron transport through a strongly correlated quantum dot: multiple-probe open-boundary conditions approach

Abstract

We present a time-dependent study of electron transport through a strongly correlated quantum dot, which combines adiabatic lattice density functional theory in the Bethe ansatz local-density approximation (BALDA) to the Hubbard model, with the multiple-probe battery method for open-boundary simulations in the time domain. In agreement with the recently proposed dynamical picture of Coulomb blockade, a characteristic driven regime, defined by regular current oscillations, is demonstrated for a certain range of bias voltages. We further investigate the effects of systematically improving the approximation for the electron–electron interaction at the dot site (going from non-interacting, through Hartree-only to adiabatic BALDA) on the transmission spectrum and the I–V characteristics. In particular, a negative differential conductance is obtained at large bias voltages and large Coulomb interaction strengths. This is attributed to the combined effect of the electron–electron interaction at the dot and the finite bandwidth of the electrodes.