A Predictive Model for the Electrical Transport Within Nanowire Networks

摘要： Thin networks of high aspect ratio conductive nanowires can combine high electrical conductivity with excellent optical transparency, which has led to a widespread use of nanowires in transparent electrodes, transistors, sensors, and ?exible and stretchable conductors. Although the material and application aspects of conductive nanowire ?lms have been thoroughly explored, there is still no model which can relate fundamental physical quantities, like wire resistance, contact resistance and nanowire density, to the sheet resistance of the ?lm. Here we derive an analytical model for the electrical conduction within nanowire networks based on an analysis of the parallel resistor network. The model captures the transport characteristics and ?ts a wide range of experimental data, allowing for the determination of physical parameters and performance limiting factors, in sharp contrast to the commonly employed percolation theory. The model thus constitutes a useful tool with predictive power for the evaluation and optimization of nanowire networks in various applications.