We propose a version of functional renormalization-group (fRG) approach, which is, due to including Litim-type cutoff and switching off (or reducing) the magnetic field during fRG flow, capable describing singular Fermi liquid (SFL) phase, formed due to presence of local moments in quantum dot structures. The proposed scheme allows to describe the first-order quantum phase transition from "singular" to the "regular" paramagnetic phase with applied gate voltage to parallel quantum dots, symmetrically coupled to leads, and shows sizable spin splitting of electronic states in the SFL phase in the limit of vanishing magnetic field H → 0; the calculated conductance shows good agreement with the results of the numerical renormalization group. Using the proposed fRG approach with the counterterm, we also show that for asymmetric coupling of the leads to the dots the SFL behavior similar to that for the symmetric case persists, but with occupation numbers, effective energy levels and conductance changing continuously through the quantum phase transition into SFL phase.

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We explore the effects of asymmetry of hopping parameters between double parallel quantum dots and the leads on the conductance and a possibility of local magnetic moment formation in this system using functional renormalization group approach with the counterterm. We demonstrate a possibility of a quantum phase transition to a local moment regime (so called singular Fermi liquid (SFL) state) for various types of hopping asymmetries and discuss respective gate voltage dependences of the conductance. It is shown, that depending on the type of the asymmetry, the system can demonstrate either a first order quantum phase transition to SFL state, accompanied by a discontinuous change of the conductance, similarly to the symmetric case, or the second order quantum phase transition, in which the conductance is continuous and exhibits Fano-type asymmetric resonance near the transition point. A semi-analytical explanation of these different types of conductance behavior is presented.