Formation of magnetic nanowire arrays by cooperative lateral growth

Nanowires typically grow along their longitudinal axis, and the long-range order among wires sustains only when a template exists. Here, we report an unprecedented electrochemical growth of ordered metallic nanowire arrays from an ultrathin electrolyte layer, which is achieved by solidifying the electrolyte solution below the freezing temperature. The thickness of the electrodeposit is instantaneously tunable by the applied electric pulses, leading to parallel ridges on webbed film without using any template. An array of metallic nanowires with desired separation and width determined by the applied pulses is formed on the substrate with arbitrary surface patterns by etching away the webbed film thereafter. This work demonstrates a previously unrecognized fabrication strategy that bridges the gap of top-down lithography and bottom-up self-organization in making ordered metallic nanowire arrays over a large area with low cost.