Protons Irradiation Induced Coalescence of Silver Nanowires

Protons irradiation induced coalescence between two silver nanowires (Ag-NWs) was investigated using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The coalescence process was found to proceed via proton beam induced local heating and collision cascade of atomic displacement mechanism, imposing a continuous restructuring of Ag atoms in individual NW lattices along adjacent NWs leading to the merging of two Ag-NWs together. Evidence of amorphization or crystal structure damage of the Ag-NWs under proton irradiation was not observed in the x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. This work may potentially be used for developing complex metal nanowire networks.