First-Principles Calculation of atomic-sized Ni nanocontacts

We calculated the electronic structures of Ni nanocontact by using the first-principles band calculation, and investigated the dependence of the electronic structure on the nanocontact shape. It is expected that the large spin polarization at the center of nanocontact can be obtained in the large contact length. The small contact length can easily switch from parallel state to anti-parallel state in spin configuration of two ferromagnetic electrodes.