Transmission through quantum dots: Focus on phase lapses

Measurements of the transmission phase in transport through a quantum dot embedded in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer show systematic sequences of phase lapses separated by Coulomb peaks. Using a two-level quantum dot as an example we show that this phenomenon can be accounted for by the combined effect of asymmetric dot-lead coupling and interaction-induced "population switching" of the levels, rendering this behavior generic. In addition, we use the notion of spectral shift function to analyze the relationship between transmission phase lapses and the Friedel sum rule.