Fast polaron switching in degenerate molecular quantum dots
arXiv:cond-mat/0606366 · doi:10.1088/0953-8984/19/25/255203
Abstract
Devices for nano- and molecular size electronics are currently a focus of research aimed at an efficient current rectification and switching. Current switching due to conformational changes in the molecules is slow, on the order of a few kHz. Fast switching on the order of 1 THz may be achieved, at least in principle, in a degenerate molecular quantum dot with strong coupling of electrons with vibrational excitations. We show that the mean-field approach fails to properly describe intrinsic molecular switching and present an exact solution to the problem.
15 pages, 5 figures, paper has been extended; Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 2007 (in press)