title: Field-induced formation of nanometer-sized water bridges.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada and Instituto "Nicolás Cabrera," Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Sacha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gómez-Moñivas
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sáenz
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calleja
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García