We report on the electrical characterization of various types of nanocontacts fabricated by nanoindentation and electrodeposition. Arrays of holes with depths ranging from 0 to 20 nm were produced by nanoindenting at different strengths an Al2O3-50 Angstrom/NiFe-150 Angstrom//Si bilayer. NiFe was then electrodeposited, which led to the growth of particles in the holes. The resistance of the particles was measured with a conducting tip atomic force microscope. Depending on the strength used during the nanoindentation, the resistance ranges from less than 5x10(3) Omega to more than 10(12) Omega. The low-resistance constrictions can be used to study ballistic transport in materials. High-resistance contacts presumably correspond to tunnel nanojunctions. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.
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Bibliographic reference
Carrey, J ; Bouzehouane, K. ; George, JM. ; Ceneray, C ; Blon, T. ; et. al. Electrical characterization of nanocontacts fabricated by nanoindentation and electrodeposition. In: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 81, no. 4, p. 760-762 (2002)
