Recent Developments on Rare-Earth Hexaboride Nanowires

With the rise of topological insulator samarium hexaboride (SmB 6 ), rare-earth hexaboride (RB 6 ) nanowires are the focus of the second wave of a research boom. Recent research has focused on new preparation methods, novel electronic properties, and extensive applications. Here, we review the recent developments in RB 6 nanowires in the past five years. Two main synthesis methods (chemical vapor deposition and high-pressure solid-state) of RB 6 nanowires are introduced and compared. Moreover, their electronic transport, magnetic properties, and superconducting properties are revealed. Furthermore, the applications of RB 6 nanowires are presented, including as field emitters, photodetectors, and in energy storage. Finally, we detail further research directions for RB 6 nanowires.