Dynamics of the Inductive Single-Electron Transistor

Using a classical equation of motion, dynamics of the phase is analyzed in the Inductive Single-Electron Transistor (L-SET) which is a promising new system suitable for quantum measurement with ultimate sensitivity and low back-action. In a regime of nonlinear dynamics, a shift of the oscillator resonant frequency is discovered which has a direct analogy to the switching of a dc-biased Josephson junction into voltage state. Results are reviewed for the predicted charge sensitivity, and it is shown that a performance challenging the best rf-SETs is foreseeable with the new device.