Researchers have successfully grown silicon nanowires directly on a sensor surface at room temperature, instead of requiring a furnace heated to between 600 and 1,000 degrees Celsius.

The method localizes the heating to the areas where they want the nanowires to grow by passing a current through specific sections of a microchip.

They successfully manufactured silicon wires up to 10 micrometers long and between 30 and 80 nanometers in diameter. In addition, they produced carbon nanotubes five micrometers in length. The technique allows for the production of an entire nano-based sensor in a process similar to creating computer chips.