Effect of environmental noise on the accuracy of Coulomb-blockade devices

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Abstract
We calculate how noise generated by a finite environmental impedance limits the ultimate performance of Coulomb-blockade devices and possible current or charge standards. We have expressed the environmental theory of the Coulomb blockade in terms of the spectral density of the voltage noise arising from the environment, and have calculated the resulting single-junction tunneling and two-junction cotunneling rates. These rates are used to predict the tunneling rate of electrons through a five-junction pump and may explain the anomalously large rates that are observed experimentally.