Low-temperature hydrogen absorption in metallic nanocontacts studied by point-contact spectroscopy measurements

We report on hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) atoms absorption below T = 20 K in metallic palladium (Pd) via quantum tunnelling (QT). When a small bias voltage is applied between Pd nanocontacts that are immersed in liquid H-2 (D-2), the differential conductance spectra measured by point-contact spectroscopy change enormously. The results indicate H (D) absorption in Pd nanocontacts at the temperature where H (D) absorption due to thermal hopping process is not expected, and can be explained by QT. The QT occurs when the energy level of the potential well trapping the H (D) atom coincides with those not trapping the H (D) atom, and is assisted by phonons induced by ballistic electrons.