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Conduction Channels of One-Atom Zinc Contacts

M. Häfner·P. Konrad·F. Pauly·J. C. Cuevas·E. Scheer
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Abstract

We have determined the transmission coefficients of atomic-sized Zn contacts using a new type of breakjunction which contains a whisker as a central bridge. We find that in the last conductance plateau the transport is unexpectedly dominated by a well-transmitting single conduction channel. We explain the experimental findings with the help of a tight-binding model which shows that in an one-atom Zn contact the current proceeds through the 4s and 4p orbitals of the central atom.

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M. Häfner, P. Konrad, F. Pauly, J. C. Cuevas, E. Scheer. 2004-07-08. Conduction Channels of One-Atom Zinc Contacts. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.70.241404

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