Frequency dependent rotation and translation of nanowires in liquid environment

Abstract

In this paper, an approach of aligning and handling silicon nanowires in liquid environment on the large scale is presented. Traveling dielectrophoresis was used to simultaneously pump a weakly ionic nanowire suspension and to rotate nanowires in a plane perpendicular to the electrodes. The pumping force on the solution was maximized by monitoring the cell impedance using impedance spectroscopy and by matching the frequency of the supply voltage to the impedance crossover. At frequencies above or below impedance crossover, trapping or rotation of nanowires was observed which is explained by means of a competition between stationary and drag forces. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.