Quantized single electron tunneling

D. V. Averim and K. K. Likharev developed a theory for describing the behavior of small tunneling junctions based on electron interactions. They had started from previous work on Josephson junctions (Likharev and Zorin 1985, Ben-Jacob 1985, Averin and Likharev 1986b) and established the fundamental features of the single-charging phenomena. Their work is based on a quantization theory and handles the tunneling phenomenon as a perturbation, described by annihilation and creation operators of a Hamiltonian. 

The electrons excited into the different levels within in the single well, could be transferred to an acceptor molecule in the electrolyte either by thermionic emission across the outer barrier layer Otherm) or tunneling through it (Jiun) (F g- 9.33). The photocurrent spectrum does not give any information about whether a hot electron was transferred. The observed structure in these spectra could in principle be caused simply by quantized absorption followed by a complete hot carrier relaxation and electron transfer from the lowest quantum level. 

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