Single-electron transistor backaction on the single-electron box

Abstract

We report an experimental observation of the backaction of a single-electron transistor (SET) measuring the Coulomb staircase of a single-electron box. As current flows through the SET, the charge state of the SET island fluctuates. These fluctuations capacitively couple to the box and cause changes in the position, width, and asymmetry of the Coulomb staircase. A sequential tunneling model accurately recreates these effects, confirming this mechanism of the backaction of a SET. This is a first step toward understanding the effects of quantum measurement on solid-state qubits.