Effects of electron-phonon interaction in tunneling processes in nanostructures

Abstract

Tunneling through a system with two discrete electron levels coupled by electron-phonon interaction is considered. The interplay between elastic and inelastic tunneling channels is analyzed not only for weak electron-phonon coupling but also for strong coupling in the resonant case. It is shown that the intensity and width of peaks in the tunneling conductivity is strongly influenced by nonequilibrium effects.