Kondo Screening Cloud and Charge Quantization in Mesoscopic Devices

We propose that the finite size of the Kondo screening cloud, xi_K, can be probed by measuring the charge quantization in a one-dimensional system coupled to a small quantum dot. When the chemical potential in the system is varied at zero temperature, one should observe charge steps that are controlled by the Kondo effect when the system size L is comparable to xi_K. We show that, if the standard Kondo model is used, the ratio between the widths of the Coulomb blockade valleys with odd or even number of electrons is a universal scaling function of xi_K/L.