Broadening of the transition between charge states in the single-electron box by the measurement process

Abstract

We report on measurements on a sample consisting of two nominally identical single-electron transistors the islands of which are coupled capacitively. One transistor at a time is operated as electron box. The remaining transistor is used as an electrometer to measure the charge on the box island. While ramping up the box gate voltage transitions occur periodically between states which differ in the charge on the box island by the elementary charge. This shows up in jumps of the electrometer current. The coupling between the box and the measuring device causes a broadening of the transition width not included in the formulae for an isolated box. This is evident in our data as well as from a thorough analysis of the system in the framework of the sequential tunneling model.