IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Electronics Thursday Sessions
       Session EL-ThM

Paper EL-ThM7
Quantum Transport through One Dimensional Aluminum Wires

Thursday, November 1, 2001, 10:20 am, Room 124

Session: Quantum Electronics
Presenter: I.P. Batra, University of Illinois at Chicago
Authors: I.P. Batra, University of Illinois at Chicago
P. Sen, University of Illinois at Chicago
S. Ciraci, University of Illinois at Chicago
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Quantum conductance and quantized Hall resistance in narrow channels have been well understood by using the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), a model system which has been realized in semiconductor heterojunctions. An essential property of the 2DEG is its ability to produce a constriction of width comparable to the Fermi wavelength, a property not shared by even thin metal films. But the advent of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) has enabled scientists to fabricate wires of "atomic" dimensions. This has led to an explosion of interest in the quantum transport properties of nanostructures. Here we consider the specific case of a one dimensional (1D) wire consisting of Aluminum atoms. First we have to find the optimal structural arrangement of the 1D system. This was done using the first-principles density functional method combined with molecular dynamics. It is found that aluminum can form stable zigzag structures similar to those found for Au. In addition, we find, other novel structures, which have not been reported for any other material. We present our understanding of the bonding as derived from charge density analysis for aluminum wires. With the calculated atomic and electronic structure in hand we proceed to discuss the quantum ballistic transport through these nanowires. Our calculations are based on channel capacity arguments that can be motivated using the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Our results are compared with the numerical calculations by Lang, who has performed careful analysis of conductance as a function of Al nanowire length in atomic domain. We finally comment on the thermal conductance and Wiedemann-Franz law in the nano-domain.