Nanowire networks on perfectly flat surfaces

A rapid process for the formation of nanowire network structures is presented. The technique uses adsorption on extremely flat layered material surfaces (vertical variation of only 6 Angstrom over 10 mu m). Adsorbed atoms or molecules assemble along lines due to subtle strain effects which are produced after chemical growth by substrate cooling. Within 1-3 min complete macroscopic networks (cm scale) of thin (5-250 nm) semiconducting or metallic wires with a typical mesh size of the order of microns can be formed. First examples ranging from macroscopic to quantum mechanical properties of these networks will be given. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)03620-7].