Fabrication and transport properties of 12CaO•7Al2O3 (C12A7) electride nanowire

Electron-doped 12CaO center dot 7Al(2)O(3) (C12A7) nanowires (NWs) were fabricated by two approaches. First, spatially selective electron doping of C12A7 films was examined by using a chemical method specific to C12A7. However, the conductive NW was not formed due to diffusion of oxygen in the C12A7 films to the conductive area. Secondly, a combination of dry etching and electron doping was examined. NWs with conductivities similar to 6 S/cm at 300 K were successfully fabricated by this method. The temperature dependence of the conductivity in the NWs exhibited almost degenerated conduction down to 5 K. (c) 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.