Electrodeposition and Behavior of Single Metal Nanowire Probes

This paper describes the fabrication of scanning probes with single metal nanowires (NWs) at the probe tip. The porous-template technique can produce NWs of various kinds of metals, with diameters down to 10-20 nm, which compete with multiwall carbon nanotube diameters. Metal NWs are grown by electrodeposition on the scanning probe tip. One NW can be selected to remain by focused ion beam technique. A variety of metals can be chosen as the tip material. Electric potentials of NWs at the probe tip can be measured. Single NW probes can measure surface topographies, electrode potentials, and their mechanical bending properties.