QUANTUM FLUCTUATIONS OF METALLIC PARTICLE CHARGE UNDER COULOMB BLOCKADE CONDITIONS

The behavior of the charge of a small metallic particle connected with a massive electrode by a tunnel junction as depending on the strength of an applied external electric field is studied. It is shown that the step-like dependence of the charge on the field strength is smeared out by quantum fluctuations. The relation between the problem and the Kondo problem is determined. This permits one to calculate the shape of the smeared steps in the case of low transparency of the tunnel barrier.