Quantum point contact switches

Abstract

Switching behavior between electron tunneling and ballistic transport states was induced by repeatedly bringing a sharpened nickel wire into contact with a gold surface. The high-conductivity ballistic state had a quantized conductance of 0.977 +/- 0.015 (2e(2)/h). Switching was accomplished by moving the electrodes with a piezoelectric actuator over a distance of 2 angstroms. The two electrodes and the actuator form a three-terminal device that is demonstrated to be a reliable digital and analog switch; it shows good discrimination between high and low states and possesses the important property of power gain. The conductance channel is most likely only one atom wide and possibly consists of a single atom.