Nanoscale manipulation of Ge nanowires by ion irradiation

Nanowires have generated considerable interest as nanoscale interconnects and as activecomponents of both electronic and electromechanical devices. However, in many cases,manipulation and modification of nanowires are required to fully realize their potential. It isessential, for instance, to control the orientation and positioning of nanowires in some specificapplications. This work demonstrates a simple method to reversibly control the shape and theorientation of Ge nanowires using ion beams. Crystalline nanowires were amorphized by 30 keVGa+ implantation. Subsequently, viscous flow and plastic deformation occurred causing thenanowires to bend toward the beam direction. The bending was reversed multiple times by ionimplanting the opposite side of the nanowires, resulting in straightening and subsequent bendinginto that opposite direction. This effect demonstrates the detailed manipulation of nanoscalestructures is possible through the use of ion irradiation.