Observation of shell effects in nanowires for the noble metals copper, silver and gold

TL;DR

This study demonstrates shell effects in noble metal nanowires, showing stable diameters related to electronic and atomic shell filling in gold and silver, with electronic shells in copper, and confirms these effects persist under ambient conditions.

Contribution

The paper extends previous shell effect observations to silver and copper nanowires, revealing new stability patterns and environmental robustness for gold and silver.

Findings

Silver nanowires show both electronic and atomic shell filling.

Copper nanowires exhibit only electronic shell filling.

Shell structures remain stable under ambient conditions for gold and silver.

Abstract

We extend our previous shell effect observation in gold nanowires at room temperature under ultra high vacuum to the other two noble metals: silver and copper. Similar to gold, silver nanowires present two series of exceptionally stable diameters related to electronic and atomic shell filling. This observation is in concordance to what was previously found for alkali metal nanowires. Copper however presents only electronic shell filling. Remarkably we find that shell structure survives under ambient conditions for gold and silver.