Verification of unzipping models of electromigration in gold nanocontacts by in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.

We observed in situ the electromigration process of gold (Au) nanocontacts (NCs) by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The structural dynamics of the interior and surfaces of the NCs were investigated at the atomic level. In particular, we directly verified the evidence of the unzipping model of electromigration with the in situ observation of surface-edge movement. The fundamental parameters of NCs, i.e., conductance and tensile force, were also measured during in situ lattice imaging of electromigration. Atoms migrating from the negative electrode accumulated at the most constricted regions of the NCs, leading to expansion. As a result, the NCs were compressed by the two electrodes. We demonstrated the magnitude of the force acting on the NCs during electromigration. The critical voltage of electromigration was approximately 80 mV, and the current density at the critical voltage was 60 TA m(-2). We found that Au nanogaps could be fabricated by applying this bias voltage to Au NCs.