Directed Assembly of One-Dimensional Nanostructures into Functional Networks

TLDR

One‑dimensional nanostructures such as nanowires and nanotubes provide the smallest dimension for efficient electron and exciton transport, making them ideal building blocks for hierarchical assembly of functional nanoscale electronic and photonic structures. The study reports an approach for hierarchically assembling one‑dimensional nanostructures into well‑defined functional networks. The method employs fluidic alignment and surface‑patterning to assemble nanowires into parallel arrays with controlled separation and periodicity, and uses layer‑by‑layer assembly with alternating flow directions to create complex crossed networks. Transport measurements show that the crossed nanowire arrays form electrically conducting networks with individually addressable device function at each cross point.

Abstract

One-dimensional nanostructures, such as nanowires and nanotubes, represent the smallest dimension for efficient transport of electrons and excitons and thus are ideal building blocks for hierarchical assembly of functional nanoscale electronic and photonic structures. We report an approach for the hierarchical assembly of one-dimensional nanostructures into well-defined functional networks. We show that nanowires can be assembled into parallel arrays with control of the average separation and, by combining fluidic alignment with surface-patterning techniques, that it is also possible to control periodicity. In addition, complex crossed nanowire arrays can be prepared with layer-by-layer assembly with different flow directions for sequential steps. Transport studies show that the crossed nanowire arrays form electrically conducting networks, with individually addressable device function at each cross point.