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On thermometer operation of ultrasmall tunnel junctions
Author(s) -
Müler H.O.,
Hädicke A.,
Krech W.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.2221880210
Subject(s) - quantum tunnelling , thermometer , tunnel junction , coulomb blockade , ohmic contact , condensed matter physics , work (physics) , coulomb , tunnel effect , electrical impedance , materials science , atmospheric temperature range , electrical resistivity and conductivity , electron , physics , nanotechnology , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics , voltage , transistor , layer (electronics)
The temperature dependence of the I – V characteristics of many single‐electron tunneling devices enables thermometer operation of these systems. Two normal conducting kinds of them are investigated, a) a single junction in a high‐impedance environment and b) a double junction. The characterstics of botu devices show a cross‐over from Coulomb blockade at low temperatures to ohmic behavior at high temperatures. The related differential conductivity dip allow the determination of the temperature of the junctions. Both configurations a) and b) are expected to work at least within the range 0.5 ≦ βE c ≦ 10, where E C the coulomb energy of the system under investigation. An analytical solution for both low‐and high‐temperature cases of a) and b) as well numerical results and their fit are presented, including the effect of co‐tunneling in case of a double junction.