Automated Electric-Field-Based Nanowire Characterization, Manipulation, and Assembly

Abstract

We present an integrated, electric-field-based method for Automated Characterization, Manipulation, and Assembly of Nanowires (ACMAN) into nanodevices by selectable electrical conductivities with precisely controlled positions and orientations. We combine electrophoresis-based motion-control, planning and manipulation strategies and contactless and solution-based electro-orientation spectroscopy (EOS) to simultaneously characterize and manipulate multiple individual nanowires. The ACMAN is a complete automated and online process to form functional nanodevice with desired electrical properties. We validate the ACMAN design by assembling field-effect transistors (FETs) with silicon nanowires of selected electrical conductivities. The results confirm the high performance of the FET by the ACMAN process.