Conductance quantization in magnetic nanowires electrodeposited in nanopores

Magnetic nanocontacts have been prepared by a templating method that involves the electrodeposition of Ni within the pores of track-etched polymer membranes. The nanocontacts are made at the extremity of a single Ni nanowire either inside or outside the pores. The method is simple, flexible, and controllable as the width of the constriction can be varied reversibly by controlling the potential between the electrodeposited nanowire and a ferromagnetic electrode. At room temperature, the electrical conductance shows quantization steps in units of e(2)/h, as expected for ferromagnetic metals without spin degeneracy. Our fabrication method enables future investigation of ballistic spin transport phenomena in electrodeposited magnetic nanocontacts. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.