Issue 10, 2018

Automated characterization and assembly of individual nanowires for device fabrication

Abstract

The automated sorting and positioning of nanowires and nanotubes is essential to enabling the scalable manufacturing of nanodevices for a variety of applications. However, two fundamental challenges still remain: (i) automated placement of individual nanostructures in precise locations, and (ii) the characterization and sorting of highly variable nanomaterials to construct well-controlled nanodevices. Here, we propose and demonstrate an integrated, electric-field based method for the simultaneous automated characterization, manipulation, and assembly of nanowires (ACMAN) with selectable electrical conductivities into nanodevices. We combine contactless and solution-based electro-orientation spectroscopy and electrophoresis-based motion-control, planning and manipulation strategies to simultaneously characterize and manipulate multiple individual nanowires. These nanowires can be selected according to their electrical characteristics and precisely positioned at different locations in a low-conductivity liquid to form functional nanodevices with desired electrical properties. We validate the ACMAN design by assembling field-effect transistors (FETs) with silicon nanowires of selected electrical conductivities. The design scheme provides a key enabling technology for the scalable, automated sorting and assembly of nanowires and nanotubes to build functional nanodevices.

Graphical abstract: Automated characterization and assembly of individual nanowires for device fabrication

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Jan 2018
Accepted
23 Apr 2018
First published
25 Apr 2018

Lab Chip, 2018,18, 1494-1503

Author version available

Automated characterization and assembly of individual nanowires for device fabrication

K. Yu, J. Yi and J. W. Shan, Lab Chip, 2018, 18, 1494 DOI: 10.1039/C8LC00051D

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