  Semiconductor quantum dots provide a two-dimensional analogy for real atoms
and show promise for the implementation of scalable quantum computers. Here, we
investigate the charge configurations in a silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor
double quantum dot tunnel coupled to a single reservoir of electrons. By
operating the system in the few-electron regime, the stability diagram shows
hysteretic tunnelling events that depend on the history of the dots charge
occupancy. We present a model which accounts for the observed hysteretic
behaviour by extending the established description for transport in double dots
coupled to two reservoirs. We demonstrate that this type of device operates
like a single-electron memory latch.
