Formation of metal nanowires on suspended single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Suspended single-wall carbon nanotubes are used as substrates for deposition of various metals by evaporation. Deposition of many types of metals normally forms discrete particles on nanotubes due to a weak interaction between the metals and nanotubes. However, continuous nanowires of virtually any metal are obtained by using titanium, a metal with strong interaction with carbon, as a buffer layer on nanotubes. The metal nanowires can be ⩽10 nm wide with continuous length up to tens of microns.