Batch fabrication of self-assembled nickel-iron nanowires by electrodeposition

Lack of batch-compatible fabrication techniques can be considered as the most important challenge in the integration of nanostructures with microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). A solution to the micro-nano integration problem is offered by introducing a batch-compatible nanowire fabrication technique based on basic lithographic techniques and guided self-assembly. The basic principle is obtaining cracks at predetermined locations in a sacrificial SiO2 layer on Si and filling these cracks with a suitable metal by electrodeposition. The technique is demonstrated by using Nickel-Iron as the deposition material and verifying the magnetic behavior of resulting nanowires.