Stable Atom-Scale Junctions on Silicon Fabricated by Kinetically Controlled Electrochemical Deposition and Dissolution

Metallic atom-scale junctions (ASJs) constitute the natural limit of nanowires, in which the limiting region of conduction is only a few atoms wide. They are of interest because they exhibit ballistic conduction and their conductance is extraordinarily sensitive to molecular adsorption. However, identifying robust and regenerable mechanisms for their production is a challenge. Gold ASJs have been fabricated electrochemically on silicon using an iodide-containing medium to control the kinetics. Extremely slow electrodeposition or electrodissolution rates were achieved and used to reliably produce ASJs with limiting conductance <5 G0. Starting from a photolithographically fabricated, Si3N4-protected micrometer-scale Au bridge between two contact electrodes, a nanometer-scale gap was prepared by focused ion beam milling. The opposing Au faces of this construct were then used in an open-circuit working electrode configuration to produce Au ASJs, either directly or by first overgrowing a thicker Au nanowire and electrothinning it back to an ASJ. Gold ASJs produced by either approach exhibit good stability—in some cases being stable over hours at 300 K—and quantized conductance properties. The influence of deposition/dissolution potential and supporting electrolyte on the stability of ASJs are considered.