Scattering theory of non-equilibrium noise and delta T current fluctuations through a quantum dot

Abstract

Abstract We consider the non-equilibrium zero frequency noise generated by a temperature gradient applied on a device composed of two normal leads separated by a quantum dot. We recall the derivation of the scattering theory for non-equilibrium noise for a general situation where both a bias voltage and a temperature gradient can coexist and put it in a historical perspective. We provide a microscopic derivation of zero frequency noise through a quantum dot based on a tight binding Hamiltonian, which constitutes a generalization of the seminal result obtained for the current in the context of the Keldysh formalism. For a single level quantum dot, the obtained transmission coefficient entering the scattering formula for the non-equilibrium noise corresponds to a Breit–Wigner resonance. We compute the delta-T noise as a function of the dot level position, and for a broad range of values of the dot level width, in the Breit–Wigner case, for two relevant situations which were considered recently in two separate experiments. In the regime where the two reservoir temperatures are comparable, our gradient expansion shows that the delta-T noise is dominated by its quadratic contribution, and is minimal close to resonance. In the opposite regime where one reservoir is much colder, the gradient expansion fails and we find the noise to be typically linear in temperature before saturating. In both situations, we conclude with a short discussion of the case where both a voltage bias and a temperature gradient are present, in order to address the potential competition with thermoelectric effects.