Nanomanipulation and electrical behaviour of a single gold nanowire using in-situ SEM-FIB-nanomanipulators

Gold nanowires were successfully fabricated by a DC electrodeposition technique into Anodic Aluminium Oxide (AAO) templates. The microstructure of 55nm gold nanowires released from AAO templates was observed by SEM and TEM to be polycrystalline, with a bamboo-type structure and grain sizes 20nm to several micrometers. Individual gold nanowires were picked up from bundles of gold nanowires using a super-sharp W tip attached to an in-situ Kleindiek nanomanipulator fitted in a SEM-FIB. The picked-up gold nanowires were then deposited onto a silicon wafer, or connected between two nanomanipulator tips, to fabricate single nanowire nano-circuits for electrical testing. The electrical properties of single manipulated nanowires are compared to that of bundles of gold nanowires for the two circuit types. The lowest resistance is achieved by connecting the gold nanowires between two FIB-milled tungsten tips.