Correlated parallel electron transport in double- and triple-island single-electron transistors

Abstract

The single-electron transistor is a key element in future realizations of atomic-scale digital and quantum electronic circuits. Recent advances in the research of single-atom electronic devices drives one to study single-electron transistors with a complex island structure. The quasi-stationary electron transport in the case of a single-island single-electron transistor is theoretically described by the orthodox theory by means of detailed balance equations. However, the description of a single-electron transistor with an island composed of several charge centers requires a nonlinear multidimensional graph of kinetic equations for states and transitions, for which simple recurrent solutions are not applicable. An extensible method is proposed for calculating the electron transport for a single-electron transistor with a double and a triple island. It was shown that the electron transport depends on the coupling between neighbouring centers, which can be electrostatic or tunneling. For the double-island transistor, the key symmetry configurations were simulated. For the triple-island transistor, we calculated and explained the split stability diagrams, which are in good accordance with experimental data.