Single-electron effects observed with a low-temperature STM

We have used a low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscope to study the effect of the Coulomb charging energy on the tunnelling behaviour of low capacitance point-contact junctions. The tunnelling I-V characteristics between a tungsten tip and various materials, such as stainless steel, aluminium, carbon and YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ, show a quadratic behaviour at low voltages and a displaced asymptotic behaviour at high voltages. The I-V characteristics can be quantitatively understood using the model of single-electron tunnelling induced by the Coulomb blockade. The capacitances of this type of point-contact tunnel junctions are in the 10^?18 F range, and are adjustable by varying the distance between tip and surface. These capacitances are at least two orders of magnitude lower than can presently be achieved by electron lithography. In a series configuration of two low-capacitance tunnel junctions, with an isolated small particle as a common electrode, we have observed the so-called Coulomb staircase, due to the quantization of the charge on a single small particle. The experimental results are in good agreement with semi-classical Monte-Carlo simulations. The low capacitance of an STM assembly can cause a serious complication in the interpretation of low temperature spectroscopic data. We will discuss the implications for the measurements on superconductors, and for the case of inelastic tunnelling spectroscopy.