The Information Content of Conductance Histogram Peaks: Transport Mechanisms, Level Alignments, and Coupling Strengths

We develop a theory for describing single channel peaks in conductance histograms by applying probability theory to electron transport. This produces analytical forms for fitting experimental conductance data, where the fitting parameters have physical significance. Depending on the transport mechanism (resonant vs.\ non-resonant tunneling), the peak's line shape contains information on the level alignment of the channel and the channel-electrode coupling(s). Ultimately, this work provides tools for extracting additional information from experimental data, helping us better understand electron transport processes.