Transport characteristics of focused beam deposited nanostructures

We review the transport properties of different nanostructures produced by ion- and electron-beam deposition, as prepared as well as after certain treatments. In general, the available literature indicates that the transport properties are determined by conduction processes typical for disordered metallic grains embedded in a carbon-rich matrix, including intergrain tunneling and variable range hopping mechanisms. Special emphasis is given to the superconducting behavior found in certain Tungsten-Carbide nanostructures that, in a certain field and temperature range, is compatible with that of granular superconductivity. This granular superconductivity leads to phenomena like magnetic field oscillations as well as anomalous hysteresis loops in the magnetoresistance.