We report a new template electroplating method for fabricating reversible atomic contacts between a single nanowire and a macroscopic contact pad. In comparison to typical template methods using a standing-alone anode, we directly evaporate the anode on one of the porous membrane surfaces. Single nanowires, upon emerging from the pores, make reversible atomic contacts with the on-membrane anode via a self-terminating mechanism. Quantized conductance steps have been observed in a controlled fashion during deposition and dissolution. This method can potentially be applied for the controlled fabrication and integration of nanowires, point contacts, and nanosized interconnects in template-based nanofabrication.
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0509260,
title = {Quantized conductance observed in reversible atomic contacts fabricated by template electroplating using an on-membrane anode},
author = {Zuxin Ye and Wenhao Wu},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0509260},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
14 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Applied Physics Letters