Predictions for the formation of new atomic chains in Mechanically Controllable Break Junction experiments

Abstract

We analyze the stability and magnetic properties of infinite zigzag atomic chains of a large number of late third, fourth and fifth-row transition metal atoms, as well as of the Group IV elements Si, Ge, Sn and Pb. We find that zigzag chains of third- and fourth-row elements are not stable, while those made of Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, W, Os, Ir, Pt and Au are. These results correlate well with known data in Mechanically Controllable Break Junction experiemnts (MCBJE). We therefore conjecture that the stability of an infinite chain is at least a necessary condition for the formation of a finite sized one in MCBJE. We therefore predict that Sn and Os, and possibly W and Pb chains may be found in those experiments. We also find that the bonds in Hg chains are extremely soft. We finally show that the magnetic moments and anisotropies of Ir and Pt chains show a non-trivial behavior.

arXiv comment6 pages, 6 figures

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Cited by in corpus (8)

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• Chiral topological phases and fractional domain wall excitations in one-dimensional chains and wires
• Giant orbital moments are responsible for the anisotropic magnetoresistance of atomic contacts
• Impact of dimerization and stretching on the transport properties of molybdenum atomic wires
• Modelling impurity-assisted chain creation in noble-metal break junctions
• Simple approach to current-induced effects -- bond weakening in metal chains
• Magnetism- and impurity-assisted chain creation in Ir and Pt break junctions