Photoassisted Formation of an Atomic Switch

Photoassisted atomic switches are demonstrated. Nanogaps of tens of nanometers in Pt–Ag2S/Ag electrodes with photoconductive organic thin layers can be bridged by Ag whiskers growing from an Ag2S surface under both light irradiation and application of a bias. After the photoassisted formation of Ag whiskers, the switch works as a conventional atomic switch by alternating the polarization of the applied bias.