Coulomb blockade by electron-hole pairs in coupled single-electron transistors

Abstract

We have theoretically investigated parallel coupled single-electron transistors (SET's) at strong coupling. We have found that the Coulomb diamond of the coupled SET's fragments into subdomains-triangular strips-which can be labeled by the number of electron-hole pairs and whose number increases as the coupling strengthens. The Coulomb blockading electron-hole pairs lead to the;appearance of satellite Coulomb blockade oscillations in the expanded insulating region.