Current-Induced Effects in Nanoscale Conductors

TL;DR

This paper reviews how electrical currents affect nanoscale conductors at the atomic level, focusing on phenomena like fluctuations, forces, inelastic scattering, and heating, using a scattering approach within density-functional theory.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of current-induced effects in atomic-scale conductors with a focus on theoretical calculations and comparison with experiments.

Findings

Analysis of current fluctuations and forces at the atomic level

Calculation of inelastic scattering and local heating effects

Examples of effects in atomic and molecular wires

Abstract

We present an overview of current-induced effects in nanoscale conductors with emphasis on their description at the atomic level. In particular, we discuss steady-state current fluctuations, current-induced forces, inelastic scattering and local heating. All of these properties are calculated in terms of single-particle wavefunctions computed using a scattering approach within the static density-functional theory of many-electron systems. Examples of current-induced effects in atomic and molecular wires will be given and comparison with experimental results will be provided when available.