Controlling dimensions of nanowires

Abstract

Controlling dimensions of nanowires includes lithographically forming a trench in a layer of a polymer resin with a width less than one micrometer where the polymer resin has a thickness less than one micrometer and is deposited over an electrically conductive substrate, depositing a nanowire material within the trench to form a nanowire, and obtaining the nanowire from the trench with a removal mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for forming nanowires, the system comprising:
 an optical lithography machine to use a light mask to photo-lithographically form a trench in a layer of a polymer resin with a width less than one micrometer and a length corresponding to a desired length of a nanowire to be formed, the polymer resin being deposited over an electrically conductive substrate;   an etcher to expose a surface of the conductive substrate underlying a bottom of the trench;   a material depositing machine to deposit a metallic nanowire material within the trench over the exposed surface of the conductive substrate at the bottom of the trench to form a metallic nanowire longitudinally along the substrate, a length of the nanowire corresponding to a length of the trench; and   a removal mechanism for removing the nanowire from the substrate to obtain the nanowire.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an applicator for forming an electrically conductive pathway between a first electrode and a second electrode by applying a liquid solution, carrying the nanowire, between the first and second electrode. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the nanowire is at least as long as a distance between the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , the material depositing machine to deposit a first material into the trench and deposit a second, different material over the first material within the trench. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , the material depositing machine to deposit the nanowire material within the trench to form the nanowire by any of direct current electroplating, pulse electroplating, and reverse electroplating. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , the optical lithography machine to form the trench with a length to width aspect ratio of at least one to a thousand. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , the removal mechanism further comprising a substrate degradation mechanism that includes a solvent for dissolving the substrate to remove the nanowire from the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , the removal mechanism to remove the nanowire from the substrate by peeling the polymer resin and the nanowire away from the electrically conductive substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a bonding device to bond a second substrate to the polymer resin and the nanowire. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , the optical lithography machine to form the trench with a width between 1 and 300 nanometers. 
     
     
         12 . A device comprising a nanowire formed by:
 placing a light mask on a layer of polymer resin;   using optical lithography with the light mask, photo-lithographically forming a trench in the layer of a polymer resin, the trench having sidewalls and a bottom with a width less than one micrometer and a length corresponding to a desired length of a nanowire to be formed, said polymer resin being deposited over an electrically conductive substrate;   exposing a surface of the conductive substrate at the bottom and between the sidewalls of the trench;   depositing a metallic nanowire material by electroplating within said trench over the exposed surface of the conductive substrate at he bottom of the trench to form a metallic nanowire longitudinally along said substrate, a length of said nanowire corresponding to a length of said trench; and   removing said nanowire from said substrate with a removal mechanism.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a first electrode spaced apart from a second electrode by a distance, and an electrically conductive pathway formed between the first and second electrode;   the electrically conductive pathway comprising the nanowire.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising the nanowire suspended in a droplet of fluid between the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the nanowire comprises a length at least as long as the distance between the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
         16 . A device comprising:
 a first electrode spaced apart from a second electrode by a distance, and   an electrically conductive pathway formed between the first and second electrode;   the electrically conductive pathway comprising a nanowire suspended in a droplet of fluid between the first and second electrodes, the nanowire having a length at least as long as the distance between the first and second electrodes.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the nanowire is formed by:
 placing a light mask on a layer of polymer resin;   using optical lithography with the light mask, photo-lithographically forming a trench in the layer of a polymer resin, the trench having sidewalls and a bottom with a width less than one micrometer and a length corresponding to a desired length of a nanowire to be formed, said polymer resin being deposited over an electrically conductive substrate;   exposing a surface of the conductive substrate at the bottom and between the sidewalls of the trench;   depositing a metallic nanowire material by electroplating within said trench over the exposed surface of the conductive substrate at he bottom of the trench to form a metallic nanowire longitudinally along said substrate, a length of said nanowire corresponding to a length of said trench; and   removing said nanowire from said substrate with a removal mechanism.