Optimal computer simulation of single electron device response

Recently the control of single electrons by Coulomb blockade could be achie ved up to high temperatures with small multidot arrays. The size of the dot s must lie in the nanometer range; up to now, it is not possible to realize regular lattice of metallic dots on insulators with these dimensions, and the arrays are necessarily highly disordered, with a very large range of tu nnel junction resistances. Monte Carlo or rate equation techniques lead to cumbersome calculations for more than two dots. We will show how we are abl e to reduce drastically the computation time by optimal procedures. This al lows us to increase the size of the arrays we can handle. Our target has be en to identify the critical parameters which determine the dispersion of th e disordered array response, a crucial parameter for device application. Fi rst results will be shown. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.