Quantum Conductance Properties Of Metal Nanowires

We have studied structural and electrical behavior of nanowires generated by mechanical elongation using in situ High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy and ultra-high-vacuum Mechanically Controllable Break Junction. It has been observed that the narrowest region of metal constriction is crystalline and defect-free. In particular, gold nanowires adopt only three types of atomic arrangement; a model correlating these three structures and the quantum conductance behavior is proposed, which showed a remarkable agreement with electrical transport measurements. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.962188192Van Houten, H., Beenakker, C., (1996) Phys. Today, 49, p. 22Olesen, L., (1994) Phys. Rev. Lett., 72, p. 2251Krans, J.M., (1995) Nature, 375, p. 767Pascual, J.I., (1995) Science, 267, p. 1793Rubio, G., Agraït, N., Vieira, S., (1996) Phys. Rev. Lett., 76, p. 2302Muller, C.J., Van Ruitenbeek, J.M., De Jongh, L.J., (1992) Phys. Rev. Lett., 69, p. 140Costa-Krämer, J.L., (1995) Surf. Sci., 342, pp. L1144Brandbyge, M., (1995) Phys. Rev. B, 52, p. 8499Hansen, K., (1997) Phys. Rev. B, 56, p. 2208Rodrigues, V., Fuhrer, T., Ugarte, D., (2000) Phys. Rev. Lett., 85, p. 4124Rodrigues, V., (1999), Master Thesis, Universidade Estadual de CampinasRodrigues, V., Ugarte, D., Rev. Sci. Instrum., , submitted for publicationOhnishi, H., Kondo, Y., Takayanagi, K., (1998) Nature, 395, p. 780Rodrigues, V., Ugarte, D., (2001) Europ. J. Phys. D, 16, p. 395Rodrigues, V., Ugarte, D., (2001) Phys. Rev. B, 63, p. 073405Kondo, Y., Takayanagi, K., (1997) Phys. Rev. Lett., 79, p. 3455Häkkinen, H., Barnett, R.N., Landman, U., (1999) J. Phys. Chem. B, 103, p. 8814Sánchez-Portal, D., (1999) Phys. Rev. Lett., 83, p. 3884Torres, J.A., (1999) Surf. Sci., 426, pp. L441Legoas, S.B., Galvao, D.S., Rodrigues, V., Ugarte, D., (2001) Phys. Rev. Lett., , acceptedMarks, L.D., (1994) Rep. Progr. Phys., 57, p. 603Bratkovsky, A.M., Sutton, A.P., Todorov, T.N., (1995) Phys. Rev. B, 52, p. 5036Sørensen, M.R., Brandbyge, M., Jacobsen, K.W., (1998) Phys. Rev. B, 57, p. 3283Levy Yeyati, A., Martín-Rodero, A., Flores, F., (1997) Phys. Rev. B, 56, p. 10369Rodrigues, V., Ugarte, D., submittedLandman, U., Luedtke, W.D., Salisbury, B.E., Whetten, R.L., (1996) Phys. Rev. Lett., 77, p. 1362Foiles, S.M., Baskes, M.I., Daw, M.S., (1986) Phys. Rev. B., 33, p. 7983Hansen, K., Nielsen, S.K., (2000) Appl. Phys. Lett., 77, p. 708Rego, L.G.C., submitte