Conductance quantization in ferromagnetic Ni nanowire

Conductance of a ferromagnetic Ni nanowire formed at a break junction betwe en Ni wire and Ni film is clearly quantized in units of 2e(2)/h in the abse nce of magnetic fields. The conductance quantization unit, however, switche s to e(2)/h in the presence of magnetic fields higher than the saturation f ield of the Ni wire. This indicates the conductance quantization in a ferro magnetic nanowire is closely related to magnetic structure of the nanowire. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.