Transparent electrodes based on mixtures of nanowires and nanorings: A mean-field approach along with computer simulation

Abstract: We have studied the electrical conductance of two-dimensional (2D) random percolating networks of zero-width metallic nanowires (a mixture of rings and sticks). We toke into account the nanowire resistance per unit length and the junction (nanowire/nanowire contact) resistance. Using a mean-field approximation (MFA) approach, we derived the total electrical conductance of these nanowire-based networks as a function of their geometrical and physical parameters. The MFA predictions have been confirmed by our Monte Carlo (MC) numerical simulations. The MC simulations were focused on the case when the circumferences of the rings and the lengths of the wires were equal. In this case, the electrical conductance of the network was found to be almost insensitive to the relative proportions of the rings and sticks provided that the wire resistance and the junction resistance were equal. When the junction resistance dominated over the wire resistance, a linear dependency of the electrical conductance of the network on the proportions of the rings and sticks was observed.