We have developed a theory for electromigration at metal nanocontacts. In the proposed theory, a metal atom is removed by kinetic energy transfer from a “lucky electron” that ballistically traverses a metal nanocontact, when the applied voltage exceeds the surface self-diffusion potential of the metal. The histogram of the critical voltage, V _c , at which metal atoms are removed, depends on the temperature as well as the probability for an atom being removed by collision with a lucky electron. The histograms of V _c for Au, Ni, Pd are well explained by the present theory.
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