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Electrostatic charging and manipulation of semiconductor nanowires

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 June 2011

Vincent C. Holmberg
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Center for Nano and Molecular Science and Technology, Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712
Reken N. Patel
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Center for Nano and Molecular Science and Technology, Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712
Brian A. Korgel*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Center for Nano and Molecular Science and Technology, Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

It was observed that silicon and germanium nanowires can exhibit significant electrostatic charging and respond strongly to externally applied electric fields. This includes nanowires in air and dispersed in low-conductivity, low-dielectric-constant solvents such as hexane, toluene, and benzene. The electrostatic charging of semiconductor nanowires was investigated as a tool for nanowire manipulation. By charging a substrate, nanowires could be deposited on surfaces with very high coverage and onto selected locations of the surface. The density of deposited nanowires could be adjusted systematically by varying the strength of the electric field. Alternating electric fields, applied between two electrodes, resulted in nanowires oriented with respect to the field orientation.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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References

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Holmberg supplementary movies

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