About cookies on this site Our websites require some cookies to function properly (required). In addition, other cookies may be used with your consent to analyze site usage, improve the user experience and for advertising. For more information, please review your options. By visiting our website, you agree to our processing of information as described in IBM’sprivacy statement. To provide a smooth navigation, your cookie preferences will be shared across the IBM web domains listed here.
Publication
Physical Review B
Paper
Effect of quantum fluctuations of the environment on the Coulomb blockade in a single barrier
Abstract
The current-voltage characteristics of a single tunneling barrier are studied on a two-dimensional electron gas at millikelvin temperatures. As the impedance of the leads is gradually increased, the zero-bias differential resistance of the barrier increases and the tunneling current at low bias is suppressed (Coulomb blockade) in a power-law fashion. The data are in a quantitative agreement with the model in which quantum fluctuations of the environment enhance the tunneling rate. The linear I-V found at the lowest bias signalizes the breakdown of the simple theory, probably due to disorder. © 1993 The American Physical Society.