Mechanically Strong, Optically Transparent, Giant Metal Superlattice Nanomembranes From Ultrathin Gold Nanowires

Metallic membranes of about 2.5 nm thick but with macroscopic lateral dimensions have been successfully fabricated from ultrathin gold nanowires. Such metallic nanomembranes are transparent, conductive and mechanically strong, with an optical transmittance of 90-97%, an electrical resistance of similar to 1142 k Omega sq(-1), and a breaking strength of similar to 14 N m(-1) with a typical atomic force microscope probe.