Nanowire Filament

1. A circuit, comprising:

first and second close proximity metal conductors; and

a nanowire filament fused between the close proximity conductors, the nanowire filament comprising a fusion of metal from the first close proximity conductor and metal from the second close proximity conductor.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the nanowire filament is suspended between the close proximity conductors.

3. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate supporting the close proximity conductors, wherein the nanowire filament is supported by the substrate.

4. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a junction oxide which is coupled to the nanowire filament.

5. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a coating coupled to the nanowire filament.

6. The circuit of claim 5 , wherein the coating is selected from the group consisting of dielectric coatings, reactive coatings, interactive coatings, and protective coatings.

7. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein: the nanowire filament has a resistance; and the resistance of the nanowire filament changes with temperature.

8. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the close proximity conductors are at an angle other than one-hundred eighty degrees from each other.

9. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the close proximity conductors each comprise a close proximity surface which is selected from the group consisting of a pointed close proximity surface, a rectangular close proximity surface, and an arcuate close proximity surface.

10. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein:

the first proximity conductor comprises a first metal;

the second proximity conductor comprises a second metal; and

the nanowire filament fused between the close proximity conductors comprises a bi-metallic fusion of first metal from the first close proximity conductor and second metal from the second close proximity conductor.

11. A circuit, comprising a Wheatstone bridge having a first resistor of unknown resistance and second, third, and fourth resistors of known resistance, wherein the first resistor comprises the circuit of claim 1 .

12. The circuit of claim 11 , wherein the second, third, and fourth resistors each comprise the circuit of claim 4 .

13. The circuit of claim 11 , further comprising a functionalized coating on the first resistor nanowire filament.

14. A sensor, comprising an array of circuits, each circuit comprising the circuit of claim 1 .

15. A thermocouple reference junction, comprising:

a first close proximity conductor comprising a first metal;

a second close proximity conductor comprising a second metal;

a nanowire filament fused between the first and second close proximity conductors, the nanowire filament comprising a bi-metallic fusion of first metal from the first close proximity conductor and second metal from the second close proximity conductor; and

a heat source coupled to the bi-metallic nanowire filament.

16. The thermocouple reference junction of claim 15 , further comprising a tunnel junction oxide coupled to the bi-metallic nanowire filament.

17. The thermocouple reference junction of claim 15 , wherein the bimetallic nanowire filament is coupled on top of the heat source.

18. The thermocouple reference junction of claim 15 , wherein the heat source is coupled on top of the bi-metallic nanowire filament.

19. The thermocouple reference junction of claim 15 , wherein the heat source comprises a heater resistor.

20. The thermocouple reference junction of claim 15 , wherein the heater resistor comprises a thin-film resistor.

21. A temperature measurement device, comprising: a controller; a thermocouple sensing junction coupled to the controller; and a reference junction comprising the thermocouple reference junction of claim 15 , wherein the reference junction is coupled to the controller and the sensing junction.