Abstract
We begin this chapter with a brief presentation of the theory of single electron tunneling (SET) through a potential barrier. The conditions necessary for the observation and registration of this effect include a low temperature of a few kelvins and a small-sized sample. Low temperature will reduce the thermal energy that could interfere with the tunneling process. A small size of the tunneling junction is necessary to ensure its low electric capacitance. Further in this chapter we describe the basic electronic systems using SET: the SETT transistor, the electron pump, and the turnstile device. We discuss the attempts to construct a direct-current standard with SET junctions and explain why the results are unsatisfactory. We also describe two SET systems of more practical importance: the electron-counting capacitance standard (ECCS) and the Coulomb blockade thermometer (CBT).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
L. Esaki, New phenomenon in narrow germanium p-n junctions. Phys. Rev. 109, 603–604 (1958)
I. Giaever, Energy gap in superconductors measured by electron tunneling. Phys. Rev. Lett. 5, 147–150 (1960)
H.D. Jensen, J.M. Martinis, Accuracy of the electron pump. Phys. Rev. B 46, 13407–13427 (1992)
J.P. Kauppinen et al., Coulomb blockade thermometer: tests and instrumentation. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 69, 4166–4175 (1998)
M.W. Keller et al., Accuracy of electron counting using a 7-junction electron pump. Appl. Phys. Lett. 69, 1804–1806 (1996)
Ch. Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics (Wiley, New York, 1996)
A.N. Korotkov, D.V. Averin, K.K. Likharev, S.A. Vasenko, Single-Electron Transistors as Ultrasensitive Electrometers. Springer Series in Electronics and Photonics, vol. 31 (Springer, New York, 1992), pp. 45–59
W. Nawrocki, Introduction to Quantum Metrology (in Polish) (Publishing House of Poznan University of Technology, Poznan, 2007)
J.P. Pekola, K.P. Hirvi, J.P. Kauppinen, M.A. Paalanen, Thermometry by arrays of tunnel junctions. Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 2903–2906 (1994)
Y. Takahashi et al., Silicon single electron devices. Int. J. Electron. 86, 605–639 (1999)
C. Urbina, et al., Manipulating Electrons One by One, Single-Electronics––Recent Developments. Springer Series in Electronics and Photonics, vol. 31 (Springer, Berlin, 1992), pp 23–44
N.M. Zimmerman, M.W. Keller, Electrical metrology with single electrons. Meas. Sci. Technol. 14, 1237–1242 (2003)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Nawrocki, W. (2015). Single Electron Tunneling. In: Introduction to Quantum Metrology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15669-9_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15669-9_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-15668-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15669-9
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)