Statistics of charge transfer in a tunnel junction coupled to an oscillator

Abstract

The charge transfer statistics of a tunnel junction coupled to a quantum object is studied using the charge projection technique. The joint dynamics of the quantum object and the number of charges transferred through the junction is described by the charge specific density matrix. The method allows evaluating the joint probability distribution of the state of the quantum object and the charge state of the junction. The statistical properties of the junction current are derived from the charge transfer statistics using the master equation for the charge specific density matrix. The theory is applied to a nanoelectromechanical system, and the influence on the average current and the current noise of the junction is obtained for coupling to a harmonic oscillator.