On the possibility of level broadening in a quantum dot due to   electrostatic interaction with a gate electrode
  In this article, we consider a quantum dot system which is interacting with a spatially separated metallic gate electrode via direct Coulomb interaction. Here, the gate electrode is described by an idealized two-dimensional electron gas. Due to Coulomb scattering effects, the latter may introduce level broadening to the quantum dot system. 
K. M. Indlekofer