Formation of a buried silver nanowire network in borosilicate glass by solid-state ion exchange assisted by forward and reverse electric fields

摘要

Using electric-field-assisted solid-state ion exchange, we formed a buried silver nanowire network in borosilicate glass. This procedure had two stages: a silver doping stage by applying voltage with silver as the anode (referred to as forward) and a silver precipitation stage by applying voltage in the opposite direction (referred to as reverse). Microscopic observations revealed many needle-like precipitates (100–300 nm in diameter) linked to each other, forming a thin layer at the bottom of the silver-doped area. The configuration of the layer formed in the glass matrix was precisely transferred from that of the dopant, silver foil in the present study. The embedded electrical wiring in the glass slide was tested using a patterned circuit-like silver foil as a dopant. Measuring the electrical resistance between two ends of the formed wire, we found that the embedded layer had high conductivity and acted as an electrical circuit.