PT-symmetric interference transistor

Abstract: We present a model of the molecular transistor, operation of which is based on the interplay between two physical mechanisms, peculiar to open quantum systems that act in concert: PT-symmetry breaking corresponding to coalescence of resonances at the exceptional point of the molecule, connected to the leads, and Fano-Feshbach antiresonance. This switching mechanism can be realized in particular in a special class of molecules with degenerate energy levels, i.e. diradicals, which possess mirror symmetry. At zero gate voltage infinitesimally small interaction of the molecule with the leads breaks the PT-symmetry of the system that, however, can be restored by application of the gate voltage preserving the mirror symmetry. PT-symmetry broken state at zero gate voltage with minimal transmission corresponds to the 'off' state while the PT-symmetric state at non-zero gate voltage with maximum transmission - to the 'on' state. At zero gate voltage energy of the antiresonance coincides with exceptional point but the transmission variation mainly takes place due to the coalescence of resonances at the exceptional point. We construct a model of an all-electrical molecular switch based on such transistors acting as a conventional CMOS inverter and show that essentially lower power consumption and switching energy can be achieved, compared to the CMOS analogues.