Accurate electrical testing of individual gold nanowires by in situ scanning electron microscope nanomanipulators
Sheffield measured the true resistivity and failure current of single 55 nm gold nanowires — contacted directly by Kleindiek nanomanipulators inside the SEM.
Individual gold nanowires are contacted and electrically tested in situ in the SEM with Kleindiek nanomanipulators and a Keithley picoammeter. For 55 nm-wide, bamboo-grained gold nanowires the authors measure an intrinsic resistivity near 2.26 µΩ·cm and a remarkably high failure current density of 4.94 × 10⁸ A/cm², separating intrinsic conductivity from contact effects using resistance-versus-length data.
Products in this study
MM3A-EM
The industry-standard spherical micromanipulator — the platform every Kleindiek plug-in tool attaches to, with 3000+ units in the field.
View product
Probe-Tip Holder LCMK
A low-noise, low-resistance probe-tip holder that turns a Kleindiek manipulator into a precision nanoprober — resolving currents down to 3 fA.
View product