Use of high-intensity electron beam to form nanohole, induce bending and fabricate nanocontact on a ZnO nanowire

This Letter presents the experiment of using a high-intensity electron beam to form nanohole, induce bending and fabricate nanocontact on a ZnO nanowire (NW). This study reveals that a nanohole with diameter of not more than 10 nm could easily been created in seconds. A lateral half-cutting on the ZnO NW could induce bending. Nanocontact of the NW could also been achieved by performing a control quasi-sectioning of NW. The electron beam performs rapid localised surface melting and vaporisation in ZnO NW. These processes could possibly be implemented for the fabrication of NW-based devices for the applications of single electron devices and also NW cutting, alignment and carving.