Cluster Assembly: a Technology for Commercial Production of Nanowires

Atomic clusters have been deposited from an inert gas aggregation source to form cluster-assembled nanowires with a view to electronic and chemical sensor applications. The fabrication methods employed make use of many of the desirable features of both bottom-up and top-down approaches to nanotechnology. We have produced electrically conducting nanowires through the deposition of atomic clusters onto lithographically prepared templates. These nanowires are being commercialized through a start-up company in collaboration with US-based partners. The application examples presented here are i) working hydrogen sensors based on Pd clusters and ii) trenches filled with copper clusters for use as interconnects.