ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the behavior of metallic quantum dots in the presence of electron–electron interactions. Quantum dots play a very important role in modern mesoscopic physics and are being intensively studied both theoretically and experimentally. Quite generally, quantum dots may consist of a large variety of materials, such as metals, semiconductors, superconductors, carbon nanotubes, or even single molecules. Physical properties of quantum dots are very diverse resulting from a nontrivial interplay between level quantization, electron scattering, quantum coherence, electron–electron interactions, and other effects. One of the key parameters characterizing the properties of a quantum dot is the electron dwell time. Inspecting classical electron paths in the quantum dot, one easily concludes that these paths may cross the barriers connecting the dot and the leads only twice, that is, at the times an electron enters and leaves the dot.
