Rapid fabrication of silver nanowires through photoreduction from silver nitride in anodic aluminum oxide template

This study reports on a new photoreduction approach for growing dense and continuous silver nanowires from an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template. Silver nanoparticles are first reduced then merged to form nanowires in the AAO pores from dried silver nitride by laser irradiation. The morphology and composition of the grown nanostructures are characterized and the detailed photochemical growth mechanism is addressed. This method is rapid, low-cost, local reduction and can be executed in the ambient environment.