Theory of single-electron charging of quantum wells and dots

Abstract

Single-electron charging effects similar to those in small-area metallic tunnel junctions should take place in semiconductor heterostructures, in particular, small-area quantum wells. Our analysis shows that dc current-voltage characteristics of such a well should exhibit an interplay between single-electron charging and energy-quantization effects. Relative magnitude of the single-electron charging effects is determined by the same parameter which scales multielectron charging in the conventional (large-area) quantum wells.