Large scale silver nanowires network fabricated by MeV hydrogen （H＋） ion beam irradiation

• Published in: 中国物理B：英文版 2016 (4), p.268-273
• Main Author: Honey S Naseem S Ishaq A Maaza M Bhatti M T Wan D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 制备; 大型网络; 大尺度; 扫描电子显微镜; 离子束照射; 离子束辐照; 透射电子显微镜; 银纳米线
• ISSN: 1674-1056; 2058-3834

A random two-dimensional large scale nano-network of silver nanowires （Ag-NWs） is fabricated by MeV hydrogen （H＋） ion beam irradiation. Ag-NWs are irradiated under H＋ ion beam at different ion fluences at room temperature. The Ag-NW network is fabricated by H＋ ion beam-induced welding of Ag-NWs at intersecting positions. H＋ ion beam induced welding is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. Moreover, the structure of Ag NWs remains stable under H＋ ion beam, and networks are optically transparent. Morphology also remains stable under H＋ ion beam irradiation. No slicings or cuttings of Ag-NWs are observed under MeV H＋ ion beam irradiation. The results exhibit that the formation of Ag-NW network proceeds through three steps： ion beam induced thermal spikes lead to the local heating of Ag-NWs, the formation of simple junctions on small scale, and the formation of a large scale network. This observation is useful for using Ag-NWs based devices in upper space where protons are abandoned in an energy range from MeV to GeV. This high-quality Ag-NW network can also be used as a transparent electrode for optoelectronics devices.