Self-assembled fabrication of aluminum–silicon nanowire networks

Uniquely structured two-dimensional aluminum–silicon alloy nanowire networks are fabricated on glass and silicon substrates by dealloying an aluminum–silicon thin film through selective chemical etching. The nanowire network is comprised of 3–6 nm diameter wires with lengths of 50–200 nm, and a wire density of approximately 1010 wires/cm2. The spatial extent of the fabricated nanowire network is limited only by the substrate dimensions. Current–voltage measurements reveal the metallic nature of the nanowires, with current propagating throughout the nanowire network. The fabrication route offers the possibility for achieving billion wire/cm2 devices as a relatively low cost production commodity.