Vertical single nanowire devices based on conducting polymers

Abstract

A simple scheme for single conducting polymer nanowire fabrication and device integration is presented. We discuss a combined top-down and bottom-up approach for the sequential, precise manufacture of vertical polyaniline nanowires. The method is scalable and can be applied on rigid as well as on flexible substrates. The kinetics of the template-confined growth is presented and discussed. We further study the electrical behavior of single vertical polyaniline nanowires and address the fabrication of crossbar latches using a criss-cross arrangement of electrodes. The as-synthesized polyaniline nanowires display electric conductivities reaching values as high as 0.4 S cm⁻¹.