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Quantum transport properties of ultrathin silver nanowires

Jijun Zhao·Buia Calin·Jie Han·Jian Ping Lu
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Abstract

The quantum transport properties of the ultrathin silver nanowires are investigated. For a perfect crystalline nanowire with four atoms per unit cell, three conduction channels are found, corresponding to three $s$ bands crossing the Fermi level. One conductance channel is disrupted by a single-atom defect, either adding or removing one atom. Quantum interference effect leads to oscillation of conductance versus the inter-defect distance. In the presence of multiple-atom defect, one conduction channel remains robust at Fermi level regardless the details of defect configuration. The histogram of conductance calculated for a finite nanowire (seven atoms per cross section) with a large number of random defect configurations agrees well with recent experiment.

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Jijun Zhao, Buia Calin, Jie Han, Jian Ping Lu. 2002-09-23. Quantum transport properties of ultrathin silver nanowires. https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484%2F14%2F5%2F304

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