## [#  Silica nanowires 

 ](/research-areas/silica-nanowires)

Using a two-step drawing process, we fabricate long freestanding silica wires with diameters down to 50 nm that show atomic-level surface smoothness and excellent diameter uniformity. While other researchers have synthesised nanowires with smaller diameters, previous work has not yielded such uniform and smooth structures. The length of the wires can be up to tens of millimeters, giving them an aspect ratio larger than 50,000. Light can be launched along these wires by optical evanescent coupling. The wires allow single-mode operation and have very low optical losses within the visible to near-infrared spectral range. Mechanical tests show that the wires have tensile strength in excess of 5 GPa -- stronger than spider silk. The wires are also resilient and flexible, easily bending into microscopic loops.