Nonlinear transport characteristics of mesoscopic tunnel junctions far from equilibrium
Abstract
We study the tunneling transport through a mesoscopic tunnel junction in the far-from-equilibrium regime at relatively low temperatures. We show that the current-voltage characteristics are significantly modified as compared to the usual quasiequilibrium results by lifting the suppression due to the Coulomb blockade. These effects are important in realistic tunnel junctions. We study the high-impedance case in detail to explain the underlying physics and construct a more realistic theoretical model for the case of a metallic junction, taking into account dynamic Coulomb interaction. This dynamic screening further reduces the effect of the Coulomb blockade.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review B
- Pub Date:
- July 2012
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2012PhRvB..86d5440G
- Keywords:
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- 73.63.-b;
- 73.63.Rt;
- 73.23.Hk;
- Electronic transport in nanoscale materials and structures;
- Nanoscale contacts;
- Coulomb blockade;
- single-electron tunneling