CHARACTERIZATION OF NANOSTRUCTURED CARBON MICROWIRES FABRICATED BY ANAEROSOL PROCESS

Nanometer aerosol particles produced by laser ablation from a carbon t arget were used to fabricate wires about 50 mu m in diameter by agglom eration in a de held. We report measurements of the electrical propert ies of these wires. As the voltage applied across a wire increases the resistance of the wire decreases. At certain voltage settings, a rapi d change in the electric current occurred, accompanied by a change in shape of the wire as observed with an optical microscope. The rapid ch ange may result from an increase in wire density when the voltage reac hes certain critical values. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.