Electric field induced motion of metallic droplets: Application to submicron contactor

This article reports the monitoring of reversible displacement of a gallium droplet on a tungsten submicron wire deposited by focused ion beam from tungsten hexacarbonyl precursor. The authors demonstrate that by applying a voltage to the wire terminals, the internal electric field created along the wire produces the motion of the droplet. Since the matter involved in this displacement is conductive, the authors show that it is possible to build a submicron electrical switch. Contact can be switched on and off between two electrodes separated by a submicron gap, by electrical monitoring the position of the conductive droplet. (C) 2010 American Vacuum Society. [DOI: 10.1116/1.3462963]