While nanowires are relatively new in the world of science, their unique mechanical, electrical, and optical properties make great research candidates. Researchers such as Jonathan Zimmerman, a Principal Member of Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories, are learning more about the inherent potential of these miniature wires.
Nanowires are very tiny wires with dimensions of the order of a nanometer (10^-9 meters). They are composed of metals such as silver, gold, or iron, or semiconductors such as silicon, zinc oxide, and germanium. Nanowires are not found in nature, so to perform research on them, they must first be fabricated in the lab.