Nanoanalysis of Interreactions
Growth of metallic nano-wires by focussed ion-deposition
The growth of nano-wires is an important field in modern nano-technology. There are several situations for
which the spontaneous growth of wire structures during the deposition of thin films is reported. The project
explores the potential influence of electrical fields to these processes. In a first step it could be demonstrated by
numerical simulation of the electrical field around sharp metallic tips and by taking into account the
chemisorption process at the surface that indeed a dipole interaction is sufficient to concentrate the material's
deposition at the tip apex. In consequence, a wire with a diameter in the range 10 to 100nm grows in a self similar
way. Recently, the project is aimed at demonstrating this mechanism experimentally.
