Sliding electrical contacts are commonly applied in electrical connectors, such as conductive
slip rings, pantographs, switches, and commutators. However, they suffer from several …

The nanoscale geometry of probe tips used for atomic force microscopy (AFM)
measurements determines the lateral resolution, contributes to the strength of the tip-surface …

The properties of contacting interfaces are strongly affected not only by the bulk and surface
properties of contacting materials but also by the ubiquitous presence of adsorbed …

In the quest to accelerate the discovery and deployment of new materials with ideal and
tailored properties, synthesis via solid-state diffusion holds particular promise, as it allows …

Ohmic micro-and nanoswitches are of interest for a wide variety of applications including
radio frequency communications and as low power complements to transistors. In these …

The stability and lifetime of electrical contact pose a major challenge to the performance of
microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS), such as MEMS switches. The microscopic failure …

Hot switching and hydrocarbon-induced contact activation limit the lifetimes and exacerbate
the surface erosion/damage in switches. However, the relative effects of voltage and …

Herein, classical molecular dynamics simulations are used to examine nanoscale adsorbate
reactions during the cyclic opening and closing of nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) …

The unique electronic and mechanical properties of metal silicide films render them
interesting for advanced materials in plasmonic devices, batteries, field-emitters …

Most architectures are designed to mitigate the usually undesirable phenomenon of device
wearout. We take a contrarian view and harness this phenomenon to create hardware …