Electronic transport in dielectrophoretically grown nanowires

Gold nanoparticles with mean diameter 10–15 nm have been synthesized and stabilized using capping agents in a polar solvent (water) and a non-polar solvent (dodecane). Using two gold bond wires (diameter 0.25 mm and separated by less than 10 μm) as electrodes a sinusoidal driving voltage was applied to the solution. The resulting dielectrophoresis of the solution caused deposition of these nanoparticles at the electrodes and the formation of a wire between the electrodes. Conductance studies of the wire as the final connection formed yielded evidence for low-dimensional transport character in the form of discrete (Landauer) conductance steps. Histogram analysis of the conductance data further supports the conclusion that as the wire forms the capping agents do not always contribute to the electronic transport through the wire.