Patent ID: 7785922

Claim:
A method for producing nanowires, comprising: (a) creating or generating at least one void in a catalyst-repelling material on a substrate material; (b) depositing a metallic film directly on the catalyst-repelling material and the substrate material at the site of the at least one void; (c) heating the metallic film to a temperature wherein the metallic film melts, thereby generating one or more metallic nucleating particles, wherein the nucleating particles migrate from the catalyst-repelling material to the site of the at least one void and deposit on the substrate; and (d) heating the nucleating particles to a temperature of greater than about 400° C. and contacting the nucleating particles with a precursor gas mixture at a pressure greater than about 0.5 torr to create an alloy droplet, whereby nanowires are grown at the site of the alloy droplet.