Electric conduction quantization in metal nanowires produced by chemical anodizing

The electric conduction of the metal nanowire is measured. The Nb nanowire is formed in the process of etching and subsequent anodizing of the macroscopic wire at the point of its preliminary narrowing. In the final stage, prior to the conductor rupture, the conduction-vs-decreasing diameter curve exhibits a pronounced stepwise structure with horizontal portions corresponding approximately to the integer conduction quantum, 2e2/h=7,75 centre dot 10-5S. This effect is treated as a discrete transit of electron wave functions through a metallic atomic-size contact between two bulk electrodes