Level Anticrossing Effect In Single-Level Or Multilevel Double Quantum Dots: Electrical Conductance, Zero-Frequency Charge Susceptibility, And Seebeck Coefficient

We study electrical and thermoelectrical properties for a double quantum dot system. We consider the cases of both single-level and multilevel quantum dots whatever the way they are coupled, either in a series or in a parallel arrangement. The calculations are performed by using the nonequilibrium Green function theory. In the case of a single-level double quantum dot, the problem is exactly solvable whereas for a multilevel double quantum dot, an analytical solution is obtained in the limit of energy-independent hopping integrals. We present a detailed discussion about the dependences of electrical conductance, zero-frequency charge susceptibility, and Seebeck coefficient on the gate voltages applied to the dots, allowing us to derive the charge stability diagram. The findings are in agreement with the experimental observations notably with the occurrence of successive sign changes of the Seebeck coefficient when varying the gate voltages. We interpret the results in terms of the bonding and antibonding states produced by the level anticrossing effect which occurs in the presence of a finite interdot coupling. We show that at equilibrium the boundary lines between the domains with different dot occupancies in the charge stability diagram take place when the bonding and antibonding state levels are aligned with the chemical potentials in the leads. Finally the total dot occupancy is found to be considerably reduced in the case in parallel compared with the case in series, whenever the level energies in each dot are equal. We interpret this dip as a direct manifestation of the interference effects occurring in the presence of the two electronic transmission paths provided by each dot.