Characterization and metrological investigation of an R-pump with driving frequencies up to 100 MHz

Abstract

The stability of an electron pump composed of three junctions and on-chip chromium resistors at the ends is investigated as a function of applied frequencies on the gate electrodes. For the first time current steps have been obtained with frequencies fSET as high as 100 MHz. Moreover in the complete studied frequency range we show that the nature (white) and the level of the noise are independent of pumping speed within the noise floor. By generating a single-electron current close to 16.02 pA and measuring over 7 h, a relative type A uncertainty has been found of 3.9 parts in 106. Although the experimental set-up described in this paper does not allow one to measure accurately an absolute value of the current, an alternative set-up including an external current source is proposed for investigating the eventual deviation of the current from the quantization level, e · fSET. As a matter of fact this set-up proves to be similar to the quantum metrological triangle experiment (QMT). We have demonstrated that the electron R-pump is a plausible candidate for closing the QMT experiment with a type A uncertainty level of 10−6.