Growth features and properties of molybdenum nanowires during voltage-energized nanotip-manipulation

Molybdenum (Mo) nanowires were produced by a voltage-energized nanotip manipulation method, and the growth procedures were observed by in situ transmission electron microscopy. The electric conduction and mechanical response of the nanowires during the growth procedures were simultaneously investigated. Mo nanotips were brought into contact with Mo plates and subsequently retracted at voltage energization. Nanowires grew by the aggregation of atoms due to heating by voltage energization at the contact boundaries between the nanotip and the plate biased positively. The nanowires were first stretched elastically and then elongated rapidly due to atom aggregation, leading to decrease in elastic strain. The growth rate in the aggregation stages was higher than that in the elastic stages. The optimal conditions for wire growth were derived: the energization voltages were 1.17‒2.60 V and the tensile rates were 1.1‒9.0 nm/s, resulting in wire widths of 6.6‒17.8 nm and average growth rates of 1.2‒23 nm/s. The maximum growth rate at rapid growth stages due to atom aggregation reached 112 nm/s. The observed maximum current density was 24 TA/m 2 . The present results show that Mo nanowires have potential abilities for next-generation nanometer-scale interconnections.