Spiraling nanotrees offer new twist on growth of nanowires

May 2, 2008 | Source: PhysOrg.com

University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have discovered a new way of growing nanowires that leads to “nanopines”–elaborate pine-tree-shaped nanowires–caused by a “screw” dislocation, or defect, in their crystal structure.

Dislocations are fundamental to the growth and characteristics of all crystalline materials, but this is the first time they’ve been shown to aid the growth of one-dimensional nanostructures.

Engineering these dislocations may allow scientists to create more elaborate nanostructures, and to investigate the fundamental mechanical, thermal and electronic properties of dislocations in materials.