Electro-Mechanical Measurement of Nano Wires -Evaluation of Lambda DNA Wire Coated with Palladium Nano Particles

We have measured conductivity of palladium coated DNA nano wires using micromachined tweezers. In the experiment, we configured an atomic force microscope (AFM) to the electrical measurement of bridged nano wires between the tweezers probes and utilized a special AFM cantilever having a knife-wedge shape tip with a very low spring constant for applying a loading force to the wire. Using the apparatus, an electric current through the wire was monitored applying 0.5 DC voltage while in a loading and unloading process. The resistance of the wire was changed apparently by the deformation; we estimated the gauge factor 4.87. As demonstrated here, this method is useful for an electro-mechanical evaluation technique of nano materials.