By Nidhi DhullSep 19 2006Reviewed by Lexie Corner Nanowires are one-dimensional nanostructures that maintain their electrical conductivity even as their cross-section becomes smaller, unlike conventional electrical wires. Their electrical, optical, and magnetic properties are valuable in various applications, including computing, sensing, manufacturing, healthcare, data storage, and national security.
Nanowires with a core-shell structure are synthesized from two distinct materials. For example, silicon oxide nanowires comprise an amorphous oxide shell that prevents damage and contamination of the silicon core. Such hybrid nanostructures offer improved functionalities and novel properties.1 In the top-down approach, bulk materials are reduced to nano size using lithography, etching, and electrophoresis techniques.1,2 This method produces nanowire arrays with enhanced control over arrangement and density, though it poses challenges like lithography limits, complex vertical formations, and non-customizable crystal structure and orientation.2
Applications of Nanowires The controllable electrical and optical properties of nanowires make them suitable for several applications. In electronics, carbon-based nanowires are widely used, such as graphite-diamond composite nanowires in electromechanical nano-switches and porous nanowires as efficient anodes in storage batteries.1
Metal nanowires, such as Ag and Cu, are promising for optoelectronic and microelectromechanical applications as advanced stretchable and transparent electrodes. These flexible transparent conductors offer low sheet resistance and high optical transmittance, making them ideal for optoelectronic devices like photovoltaic cells and touch panels.1
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