Quantum fluctuations and the single-junction Coulomb blockade

Journal Article · Mon Jun 25 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Physical Review Letters; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.64.3183· OSTI ID:6358314

Girvin, S M ^[1]; Glazman, L I ^[2]; Jonson, M ^[3]; Penn, D R; Stiles, M D ^[4]

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1. Department of Physics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (USA)
2. Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials, U.S.S.R. Academy of Science, Moscow District (U.S.S.R.)
3. Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN (USA)
4. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (USA)

We investigate the effect of quantum fluctuations on the Coulomb blockade in a single tunnel junction coupled to its environment by a transmission line of arbitrary impedance {ital Z}({omega}). The quantized oscillation modes of the transmission line are suddenly displaced when an electron tunnels through the junction. For small {ital Z} (relative to the quantum of resitance), a weak power-law zero-bias anomaly occurs associated with the infrared-divergent shakeup of low-frequency transmission-line modes. For large {ital Z}, the full blockade is recovered. Comparison with recent experiments is made.

• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6358314
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters; (USA), Journal Name: Physical Review Letters; (USA) Vol. 64:26; ISSN PRLTA; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

656000* -- Condensed Matter Physics
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSOLUTE ZERO TEMPERATURE
CORRELATIONS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
FLUCTUATIONS
OSCILLATION MODES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUANTIZATION
TUNNEL EFFECT
ULTRALOW TEMPERATURE
VARIATIONS
VERY LOW TEMPERATURE