Abstract

Ultrasmall (≲5 nm in lateral diameter) double-barrier tunnel junctions have been realized using a scanning tunneling microscope and an optimized metal-particle-oxide-metallic substrate system. The effects of single-electron charging (single-electron tunneling) on the current-voltage characteristics are studied experimentally at 4.2 K. The circumstances under which a Coulomb staircase is observable for this kind of model systems is investigated systematically, using the orthodox theory of single-electron tunneling to analyze the data.

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