Electron transport in a quantum wire with realistic Coulomb interaction

Abstract

Electron transport in a quantum wire with leads is investigated with actual Coulomb interaction taken into account. The latter includes both the direct interaction of electrons with each other and their interaction via the image charges induced in the leads. Exact analytical solution of the problem is found with the use of the bosonization technique for one-dimensional electrons and the three-dimensional Poisson equation for the electric field. The Coulomb interaction is shown to change significantly the electron density distribution along the wire as compared with the Luttinger-liquid model with short-range interactions. In dc and low-frequency regimes, the Coulomb interaction causes the charge density to increase strongly in the vicinity of the contacts with the leads. The quantum wire impedance shows an oscillating behavior versus the frequency caused by the resonances of the charge waves. The Coulomb interaction produces a frequency-dependent renormalization of the charge-wave velocity.