Fabrication and Characterization of Noble Metal Nanowires for Nanogap Devices

Abstract

A new method called the selective metal nanoscale etch method (SMNEM) has been developed for fabricating Au nanowire arrays. The precise control in positioning of the Au nanowires on the substrates was achieved as the Au nanowires were formed through the edges of Ni films. The synthesis of Au nanowires of different sizes was made possible by critically controlling the deposition rate of Ni layer. The Au nanowire loops with 185 nm width and 100 nm height were observed. Also this process was evaluated by varying the physical parameters of the electroless plating method such as plating time and temperature. This method paves way for the easy and cost effective fabrication of noble-metal nanowire arrays/loops.