Tuning the doping of YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-delta}$ nanowires through electromigration

We use electromigration (EM) to tune the oxygen content of YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-delta}$ nanowires. During EM, the dopant oxygen atoms in the nanowire are displaced under the combined effect of electrostatic force and Joule heating. The EM current can be tuned to either deplete or replenish nanowire with oxygen, allowing fine tuning of its doping level. Transport measurements show that the quality of the nanowires is not influenced by the EM process. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) is used to image the electric properties of the nanowire at the nanoscale. This technique confirms the good homogeneity of the doping along the nanowires. Thus, EM provides an effective method to reproduce a large portion of the phase diagram on nanoscale.