Silver nanowires

Free silver nanowires were produced in aqueous electrolyte by a novel chemical reaction. Their diameters are about 27 nm, the lengths range up to more than 70 mu m, yielding extreme length to thickness-ratios up to 2500. Their structure was identified by TEM analysis (SAED) and HRTEM to consist of a lattice aligned bundle of five monocrystalline rods of triangular cross-section forming an almost regular pentagonal cross-section. It is demonstrated that, for application purposes, single free nanowires can be mounted between contact areas. This manipulation is enabled by observing the nanowires in real time at atmosphere by Zsigmondy-Siedentopf farfield darkfield microscopy. Experimental results are presented concerning electrical dc-conductivity and optical plasmon polariton excitation, the latter obtained from a single free wire without substrate and a single wire deposited on quartz glass. We also report about a present research cooperation with the Graz group of Aussenegg and Krenn which is devoted to investigate plasmon propagation in our Ag nanowires and to prove application possibilities as information guide fibers - in analogy to optical fibers - which may be integrated into micro- and nanoelectronic circuits.