Quantum phase transition and Coulomb blockade effect in triangular quantum dots with interdot capacitive and tunnel couplings

The quantum phase transition and the electronic transport in a triangular quantum dot system are investigated using the numerical renormalization group method.We concentrate on the interplay between the interdot capacitive coupling V and the interdot tunnel coupling t.For small t,three dots form a local spin doublet.As t increases,due to the competition between V and t,there exist two first-order transitions with phase sequence spin-doublet-magnetic frustration phase-orbital spin singlet.When t is absent,the evolutions of the total charge on the dots and the linear conductance are of the typical Coulomb-blockade features with increasing gate voltage.While for sufficient t,the antiferromagnetic spin correlation between dots is enhanced,and the conductance is strongly suppressed for the bonding state is almost doubly occupied.