We study atomiclike properties of artificial atoms by measuring Coulom
b oscillations in vertical quantum dots containing a tunable number of
electrons starting from zero. At zero magnetic field the energy neede
d to add electrons to a dot reveals a shell structure for a two-dimens
ional harmonic. potential. As a function of magnetic field the current
peaks shift in pairs, due to the filling of electrons into spin-degen
erate single-particle states. When the magnetic field is sufficiently
small, however,the pairing is modified, as predicted by Hund's rule, t
o favor the filling of parallel spins.