Field-induced formation of nanometer-sized water bridges.
A method to form and manipulate the properties of nanometer-size liquid bridges by an external electric field is discussed. The properties of bridges are shown to be the result of an interplay among the field-induced polarization of the water layer adsorbed on the surface, the surface energy, and the water condensation from the humid air. For a given tip-sample separation, a simple model predicts the existence of a threshold voltage V(th) to form the bridge in full agreement with experiments.
Gómez-Moñivas
Sacha
S
Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada and Instituto "Nicolás Cabrera," Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
Sáenz
Juan José
JJ
Calleja
Montserrat
M
García
Ricardo
R