Abstract
Metal nanowire formation and annihilation are controlled using a solid electrochemical reaction simply by applying a bias voltage to an ionic conductor, such as Ag2S and Cu2S. This controlled formation and annihilation of a metal nanowire can be achieved both on the surface of the ionic conductor and inside of the ionic conductor, by placing a counter electrode with a gap and without a gap between the ionic conductor, respectively. A new type of a nanodevice called “Atomic Switch” has been developed using the controlled formation and annihilation of a nanowire. It shows novel characteristics, such as easy operation, simple structure, low power consumption. Recent development of an atomic switch using a metal oxide enables to integrate it with CMOS devices.
