A comparative study of quantum transport properties of silver and copper nanowires using first principles calculations

The electronic structure and transport properties of silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) nanowires of diameters up to 1.7 nm are investigated using first principles density functional theory and the Landauer formalism in conjunction with a supercell approach. A direct comparison of the ballistic conductances, quantum capacitances, and kinetic inductances indicates that Ag and Cu nanowires show very similar performances. Compared to the electrostatic capacitance, the quantum capacitance is found to have a negligible effect on the total capacitance of the nanowire interconnect. In contrast, the overall inductance has a dominant contribution from the kinetic inductance over the magnetic inductance.