ABSTRACT
The basic idea of the mapping of the Coulomb blockage to a multichannel Kondo model hinges on the ability to view the charge variables as a pseudo-spin. The dynamical charge fluctuations in a small metallic particle can be described by a pseudo-spin if the number of electrons is fluctuating primarily between two integer values N and N + 1 with all the other charging states neglected. It is precisely this situation which is called the ‘Coulomb blockade'. The origin of the restriction to two charge states arises from a proper setting of applied voltage to the metallic particle and a sufficiently small capacitance so as to create a large charging energy that effectively takes charge states..., N - 1, N + 2,... off to very large energies.
