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Synthesis of Substrate-Bound Au Nanowires Via an Active Surface Growth Mechanism
Published on: July 18, 2018
Ion beam processing of Au nanowires
1Division of Materials Physics, Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, PO Box 43, FIN-00014, Finland. vladimir.tuboltsev@helsinki.fi
Nanotechnology
|July 29, 2009
Summary
Ion beam etching successfully downsized gold nanowires to 9 nm using argon ions. Gallium ions proved destructive, hindering the downsizing process due to surface condensation effects.
Area of Science:
- Nanoelectronics
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
Background:
- Nanowires are fundamental components in nanoelectronics for charge transfer.
- Downsizing prefabricated gold (Au) nanowires to sub-50 nm linewidths is crucial for advanced nanostructures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of ion beam etching for downsizing Au nanowires.
- To compare the impact of argon (Ar+) and gallium (Ga+) ions on nanowire morphology and dimensions.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing low-energy Ar+ and Ga+ ion beams for dry etching of Au nanowires.
- Characterizing nanowire dimensions and morphology post-etching to assess downsizing precision.
Main Results:
- Achieved nanometer-precise gradual downsizing of Au nanowires to an effective diameter as small as 9 nm using Ar+ ions.
- Observed destructive effects on nanowire morphology with Ga+ ions due to surface condensation and nanocondensate formation.
- Identified polymorphism and dynamic behavior of Ga in solid and liquid states within the nanocondensate under ion irradiation.
Conclusions:
- Ar+ ion beam etching is a viable method for controlled downsizing of Au nanowires to the 10 nm scale.
- Ga+ ion etching is unsuitable for precise Au nanowire downsizing due to detrimental surface interactions and nanocondensate formation.
