Single-step growth and low resistance interconnecting of gold nanowires

Abstract

We present a single-step, electrochemical approach to the growth and low contact resistance interconnecting of gold nanowires with targeted points on lithographic electrodes. Electron diffraction studies indicate that these nanowires are composed of face-centred cubic crystalline gold, and that the crystal structure is invariant along the wire lengths. Four-point resistance determinations of these electrode?nanowire?electrode assemblies consistently yield resistances of <50??, and the contributions from the electrode?wire contacts are of the order of 10??. Atomic force microscopy was used to depict the structurally integrated nature of the electrode?wire contacts. This feature underlies the low electrode?wire contact resistances.