Quantized conductance in educational labs: a consequence of nano-scale confinement

ORAL

Abstract

We developed a robust and inexpensive setup to demonstrate the quantization of conductance in a macroscopic gold wire with a nano-constriction. Our setup uses a manually operated bending beam and a micrometer to break and reconnect the gold wire and get the quantized behavior. Alternatively, we use a piezo-crystal to precisely control the motion by manually changing an applied DC voltage across the piezo-crystal. We also will review our work on using an Arduino to control the piez-crystal via a computer in order to run the demonstration in a classroom or as an experiment either in a course in nano-science and technology or in contemporary physics. This is a direct demonstration of the emergence of quantum mechanical behavior due to the wave nature of matter and due to the confinement at the nano- or atomic scale.

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Authors

  • Tony Silvidi

    Miami University

  • Oleg Popov

    Miami University, Chemistry Department, Penn State Univ., University Park, PA 16802, unaffiliated, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ohio State University Columbus, OH 43210, Department of Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, University of Cincinnati, Miami University of Ohio, University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Wayne State University, University of Tennessee, National Technical University of Athens, The University of Tennessee, Kettering Univeristy, University of Michigan-Dearborn, FNAL, Harvard University, California State University, Department of Physics, Kettering University, Flint, Michigan, Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Applied Sciences Inc., Cedarville, Ohio, Oakland University, University of Stockholm, Arizona State University

  • Oleg Popov

    Miami University, Chemistry Department, Penn State Univ., University Park, PA 16802, unaffiliated, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ohio State University Columbus, OH 43210, Department of Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, University of Cincinnati, Miami University of Ohio, University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Wayne State University, University of Tennessee, National Technical University of Athens, The University of Tennessee, Kettering Univeristy, University of Michigan-Dearborn, FNAL, Harvard University, California State University, Department of Physics, Kettering University, Flint, Michigan, Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Applied Sciences Inc., Cedarville, Ohio, Oakland University, University of Stockholm, Arizona State University

  • Khalid Eid

    Miami University