Dephasing in sequential tunneling through a double-dot interferometer

We analyze dephasing in a model system where electrons tunnel sequentially through a symmetric interference setup consisting of two single-level quantum dots. Depending on the phase difference between the two tunneling paths, this may result in perfect destructive interference. However, if the dots are coupled to a bath, it may act as a which-way detector, leading to partial suppression of the phase coherence and the reappearance of a finite tunneling current. In our approach, the tunneling is treated in leading order whereas coupling to the bath is kept to all orders [using P(E) theory]. We discuss the influence of different bath spectra on the visibility of the interference pattern, including the distinction between “mere renormalization effects” and “true dephasing.”