Conductance through atoms: Dot or channel?

Citation
N. Kobayashi et al., Conductance through atoms: Dot or channel?, JPN J A P 1, 38(1B), 1999, pp. 336-338
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Apllied Physucs/Condensed Matter/Materiales Science
Volume
38
Issue
1B
Year of publication
1999
Pages
336 - 338
Database
ISI
SICI code
Abstract
We present a first-principles calculation of the transmission eigenchannels of an Al atomic wire between jellium electrodes. We show how the decomposi tion of electronic states into eigenchannels can provide a transparent view of electronic transport in atomic-sized systems. In particular, we show ho w local density of states and current density resolved into eigenchannels r eflect the atomic orbitals of the single Al atom. On the other hand, the ei genchannel density of states has a one-dimensional (1D) band character for the straight three-atom wire. From this we conclude that the transport thro ugh the single Al atom in this case mainly has a 1D (channel) character in contrast to a zero-dimensional resonant tunneling (dot) character.