Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
07:15
A Novel Method for In Situ Electromechanical Characterization of Nanoscale Specimens
Published on: June 2, 2017
Current-induced embrittlement of atomic wires
T N Todorov1, J Hoekstra, A P Sutton
1School of Mathematics and Physics, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom. T.Todorov@qub.ac.uk
Physical Review Letters
|May 1, 2001
Summary
Electrical current causes gold atomic chains to become brittle and break more easily. This "embrittlement" limits the maximum current these atomic wires can safely conduct.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Materials science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Experiments show gold atomic contacts and chains fracture at 1-2 V.
- Understanding current's effect on defect-free atomic conductors is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate current-induced forces on gold atomic chains.
- Determine the mechanism behind current-induced fracture in atomic wires.
Main Methods:
- Calculated forces on atoms in a gold chain between gold electrodes.
- Analyzed the influence of current on the work required to break the chain.
Main Results:
- Current-induced forces alone are insufficient to break the gold chain.
- Current significantly lowers the energy barrier for chain fracture.
- Increased probability of thermally activated spontaneous fracture observed.
Conclusions:
- Current-induced embrittlement is the primary cause of fracture in gold atomic wires.
- This phenomenon establishes a fundamental limit on the current-carrying capacity of atomic-scale conductors.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Diamagnetic Shielding of Nuclei: Local Diamagnetic Current
An applied magnetic field causes the electrons present in the molecule to circulate, setting up a local diamagnetic current within the molecule. The local diamagnetic current arising from circulating sigma-bonding electrons induces a magnetic field, Blocal that opposes the applied magnetic field, B0. The effective magnetic field experienced by these nuclei is given by the difference between the applied and local magnetic fields in a phenomenon called local diamagnetic shielding. Essentially,...
01:22Magnetic Force On Current-Carrying Wires: Example
In a magnetic field, moving charges encounter a force. If a wire contains these moving charges, i.e., if the wire is carrying a current, then a force acts on the wire as well. Consider a pair of flexible leads holding a wire that is 40 cm long and 10 g in weight in a horizontal position. The wire is placed in a constant magnetic field of 0.40 T, as shown in Figure 1(a). Determine the magnitude and direction of the current flowing in the wire needed to remove the tension in the supporting leads.
01:27Magnetic Field Due To A Thin Straight Wire
Consider an infinitely long straight wire carrying a current I. The magnetic field at point P at a distance a from the origin can be calculated using the Biot-Savart law.
01:23Induced Electric Fields
The fact that emfs are induced in circuits implies that work is being done on the conduction electrons in the wires. What can possibly be the source of this work? We know that it’s neither a battery nor a magnetic field, as a battery does not have to be present in a circuit where current is induced, and magnetic fields never do any work on moving charges. The source of the work is in fact an electric field that is induced in the wires. For example, if a stationary conductor is placed in a...
01:27Induced Electric Fields: Applications
An important distinction exists between the electric field induced by a changing magnetic field and the electrostatic field produced by a fixed charge distribution. Specifically, the induced electric field is nonconservative because it does not work in moving a charge over a closed path. In contrast, the electrostatic field is conservative and does no net work over a closed path. Hence, electric potential can be associated with the electrostatic field but not the induced field. The following...
01:18Magnetic Field Due to Two Straight Wires
Consider two parallel straight wires carrying a current of 10 A and 20 A in the same direction and separated by a distance of 20 cm. Calculate the magnetic field at a point "P2", midway between the wires. Also, evaluate the magnetic field when the direction of the current is reversed in the second wire.