Electronic transport in a three-dimensional network of one-dimensional bismuth quantum wires

The resistance R of a high-density network of 6-nm-diam Bi wires in porous Vycor glass is studied in order to observe its expected semiconductor behavior. R increases from 300 K down to 0.3 K. Below 4 K, where R varies approximately as $\ln \mathrm{}(1/T),$ the order of magnitude of the resistance rise, as well as the behavior of the magnetoresistance, is consistent with localization and electron-electron interaction theories of a one-dimensional disordered conductor in the presence of strong spin-orbit scattering. We show that this behavior and the surface-enhanced carrier density may mask the proposed semimetal-to-semiconductor transition for quantum Bi wires.