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Evaluating Plasmonic Transport in Current-carrying Silver Nanowires
Published on: December 11, 2013
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Multiple electrical breakdowns and electrical annealing using high current approximating breakdown current of silver
Farhan Nur Kholid1, Hui Huang, Yongqi Zhang
1Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, 637371, Singapore. Surface Technology Group, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, 638075, Singapore.
Nanotechnology
|December 3, 2015
Summary
Silver nanowire (AgNW) networks fail under high current density due to electromigration and heating. These networks can withstand multiple breakdowns, and electrical annealing reduces resistance by 18%.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Silver nanowire (AgNW) networks are promising conductive materials.
- High current density can lead to network failure through electromigration and Joule heating at junctions.
- Understanding failure mechanisms is crucial for reliable AgNW applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the failure mechanisms of AgNW random networks under high current density.
- To characterize the post-breakdown behavior and electrical properties of AgNW networks.
- To demonstrate an electrical annealing method for improving AgNW network resistance.
Main Methods:
- Applying high electric current densities to AgNW random networks.
- Analyzing failure modes, including electromigration and Joule heating at junctions.
- Measuring network resistance and breakdown current density before and after breakdown.
- Implementing and evaluating an electrical annealing process using periodic current application.
Main Results:
- AgNW networks fail due to electromigration and Joule heating, destroying interconnections.
- Networks can undergo multiple breakdowns upon cooling, with increased resistance and reduced breakdown current density.
- The breakdown current density (Jmax) reaches 25 A cm(-2) for networks with Rs ~ 40 Ω sq(-1), outperforming copper nanowires.
- Electrical annealing reduced network resistance by 18% through periodic application of current below breakdown levels.
Conclusions:
- Electromigration and Joule heating are key failure mechanisms in AgNW networks.
- AgNW networks exhibit resilience, allowing for multiple breakdown cycles with performance degradation.
- AgNW networks demonstrate superior performance over CuNW networks in terms of breakdown current density.
- Electrical annealing is an effective method to enhance the conductivity of AgNW networks.
