Growth of single conductive nanowires at prescribed loci

Conductive 75 nm diameter nanowires have been self-assembled from aqueous solution between 15 mu m gap electrodes on a SiO2 substrate at predefined locations. Nanowire assembly was initiated by application an electric field, and it occurred along the direction of field lines where the field is strongest. Certain salts of palladium, but not of related metals, yielded nanowires under comparable conditions. The simple and straightforward approach to nanowire assembly outlined here could be used for nano/microscale device interconnection at precise positions at room temperature, important for device development, integration, and packaging. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.