Nanowire research at GSI

Metal (copper, gold, silver, platinum), semimetal (bismuth), and alloy (bismuth compound) nanowires are synthesized by electrochemical deposition in etched ion track templates. Their electrical, optical, and thermal properties are investigated as a function of nanowire size and crystallinity.

Over the last two decades, investigations of nanostructures and in particular nanowires have attracted large interest due to their novel properties and promising applications in various fields such as electronics, thermoelectrics, and sensorics. Since the properties and possible applications of nanoscale materials strongly depend on their dimensions and crystallinity, suitable techniques enabling the controlled growth of nanomaterials with various geometries and compositions are necessary.

Ion-track technology using beams of MeV to GeV heavy ions available at the UNILAC accelerator facility, in combination with electrodeposition growth, offers the powerful possibility of controlling all important parameters of the synthesized nanostructures in an independent manner. The irradiation flux determines the preset density of parallel nanochannels enabling thus the fabrication of both templates with channel densities up to 5 10⁹ cm^-2 as well as templates containing one single channel. The polymer material of choice (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, Kapton) together with the etching conditions, determine size and geometry of the channels, e.g. cylindrical, conical, biconical. Using electrochemical deposition, the channels in the templates are replicated by the material of choice, e.g. gold, copper, bismuth compounds, or platinum. The composition and crystallographic characteristics of the nanowires are well controlled by voltage, temperature, and electrolyte applied during the deposition process.

Projects are currently available for PhD students and  M.S. students

Contact:

Dr. Maria Eugenia Toimil-Molares
Materials Resarch Department
E-mail: m.e.toimilmolaresgsi.de
Tel: + 49 6159 711807

Dr. Christina Trautmann
Head of Materials Resarch Department
E-mail: c.trautmanngsi.de
Tel: + 49 6159 712716

GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research  
Planckst. 1
64281 Darmstadt
Germany