Influence of work hardening on conductance of platinum, copper and silver nanocontacts

Cold work hardening of metals results in their strengthening and changes of physical properties at macroscopic level. It also greatly affects the conductance of nanowires pulled from such materials in the course of their break. We studied this effect for Ag, Cu, Pt and some other metals. The influence of molecular hydrogen on conductance histograms of silver is reported.

PACS: 73.40.Jn Metal-to-metal contacts;
PACS: 61.46.+w Structure of nanoscale materials;
PACS: 68.65.La Quantum wires.

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