Coulomb blockade thermometry using a two-dimensional array of tunnel junctions

We have measured current-voltage characteristics of two-dimensional (2D) ar rays of small tunnel junctions at temperatures from 1.5 to 4.2 K. This corr esponds to thermal energies larger than the charging energy. We show that 2 D arrays can be used as primary thermometers in the same way as one-dimensi onal (1D) arrays, and even have some advantages over 1D arrays. We have car ried out Monte Carlo simulations, which agree with our experimental results . (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021- 8979(99)03519-7].