Localization and electron-electron interaction effects in thin Pt wires

We have studied the low-temperature electrical properties of Pt wires with cross-sectional areas as small as 1.7×${10}^{\mathrm{-}12}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^2$. As the temperature is lowered, we find a resistance increase, ΔR, due to localization and electron-electron interaction effects. The dependence of ΔR on temperature and on the cross-sectional area of the sample is the same as that found in previous studies of thin wires. When these results are compared with those for wires composed of other materials, the dependence of ΔR on resistivity observed previously for wires with higher resistivities is found to agree well with the present results. However, this behavior is different from the resistivity dependence of ΔR which has recently been found for wires of lower resistivity.