Imaging electromigration during the formation of break junctions.

Taychatanapat, Thiti; Bolotin, Kirill I; Kuemmeth, Ferdinand; Ralph, Daniel C · Nano Lett · 2007

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Using a scanning electron microscope, we make real-time movies of gold nanowires during the process of electromigration. We confirm the importance of using a small series resistance when employing electromigration to make controlled nanometer-scale gaps suitable for molecular-electronics studies. We are also able to estimate the effective temperature experienced by molecular adsorbates on the nanowire during the electromigration process.