Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method of forming a nanowire structure, comprising:applying on a surface of carrier liquid a layer of a liquid composition which comprises a surfactant and a plurality of nanostructures, each nanostructure having a core enclosed by a hydrophobic or amphiphilic shell; andheating at least one of said carrier liquid and said liquid composition to a temperature selected such that said nanostructures are segregated from said surfactant and assemble into a nanowire structure on said surface. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising preparing said liquid composition. 3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising coating nanoparticles by hydrophobic or amphiphilic shells thereby forming said nanostructures. 4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transferring said nanowire structure from said surface of said carrier liquid to a solid support. 5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising treating said nanowire structure so as to remove said shells from said nanostructures. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said heating is effected by laser radiation. 7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising scanning said layer by said laser radiation along a predetermined pattern so as to locally heat said layer along said pattern and to shape said nanowire structure according to said pattern. 8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising scanning said layer by said laser radiation along a predetermined pattern so as to locally heat said layer along said pattern and to form on said surface a circuitry of nanowire structures according to said pattern. 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said layer is in a liquid-expanded phase. 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said temperature is selected such that said segregation and said assembling is reversible. 11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said temperature is higher than a threshold temperature defined as a minimal temperature at which there is no phase transition from a liquid-expanded phase to a liquid-condensed phase anywhere on said layer for any surface pressure of said layer, and wherein a difference between said temperature and said threshold temperature is less that 1 degree centigrade. 12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said surfactant is an amphiphilic compound. 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said surfactant is a fatty acid. 14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said shell comprises a thiol-containing hydrocarbon chain. 15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said shell comprises an amine-containing hydrocarbon chain. 16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said shell is prepared from a surfactant selected from the group consisting of dodecanethiol, octanethiol, dodecylamine, tetradecylammonium bromide, tetraoctylammonium bromide and any mixture thereof. 17. The method according to claim 1, wherein said core is made of a metal. 18. The method according to claim 1, wherein said core is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a semiconductor material, a dielectric material and a ferromagnetic material. 19. The method according to claim 1, wherein said carrier liquid is an aqueous solution. 20. The method according to claim 1, wherein said carrier liquid is water.