Self-assembly of conductive Cu nanowires on Si(111) '5 x 5'-Cu surface

Upon room-temperature deposition onto a Cu/Si(111) '5 x 5' surface in ultra-high vacuum, Cu atoms migrate over extended distances to become trapped at the step edges, where they form Cu nanowires (NWs). The formed NWs are 20-80 nm wide, 1-3 nm high and characterized by a resistivity of ~8 muOmega cm. The surface conductance of the NW array is anisotropic, with the conductivity along the NWs being about three times greater than that in the perpendicular direction. Using a similar growth technique, not only the straight NWs but also other types of NW-based structures (e.g. nanorings) can be fabricated.