Break Cohesion of Metal Contacts due to Voltage Bias

The instability of metal point contacts under voltage bias is calculated based on scattering theory. When the bias is applied, the transport channels will be closed and the chemical bonds will be broken, which modify the cohesive force of the point contact. If the cross section of the contact is narrow enough, an applied bias will break the point contact, which is in agreement with the experimental results. The effect of bias-dependent force can play an important role in the stability of a nanosize device.