Error accounting in electron counting experiments

Understand

Electron counting experiments attempt to provide a current of a known number of electrons per unit time.

• We propose architectures utilizing a few readily available electron-pumps or turnstiles with the typical error rates of 100 ppm with common sensitive electrometers to achieve the desirable accuracy of 1 part in 10 ppb.
• This is achieved not by counting all transferred electrons but by counting only the errors of individual devices; these are less frequent and therefore readily recognized and accounted for.
• We thereby ease the route towards quantum based standards for current and capacitance.