Nonlinear transport characteristics of mesoscopic tunnel junctions far from equilibrium

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2012 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.86.045440· OSTI ID:1050819

Glatz, A; Chtchelkatchev, N M; Beloborodov, I S ^[1]

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1. Materials Science Division

We study the tunneling transport through a mesoscopic tunnel junction in the far-from-equilibrium regime at relatively low temperatures. We show that the current-voltage characteristics are significantly modified as compared to the usual quasiequilibrium results by lifting the suppression due to the Coulomb blockade. These effects are important in realistic tunnel junctions. We study the high-impedance case in detail to explain the underlying physics and construct a more realistic theoretical model for the case of a metallic junction, taking into account dynamic Coulomb interaction. This dynamic screening further reduces the effect of the Coulomb blockade.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: SC OFFICE OF BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1050819
• Report Number(s): ANL/MSD/JA-74165; TRN: US201218%%930
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 86, Issue 4; ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
PHYSICS
TRANSPORT
TUNNELING