utilizing semiconductor nanowires 
 for ( opto)electronics requires 
 exact knowledge of their current  voltage properties . 
 we report 
 accurate on - top imaging and i  v characterization 
 of individual as - grown nanowires , using a subnanometer resolution 
 scanning tunneling microscope with no need for additional microscopy 
 tools , thus allowing versatile application . 
 we form ohmic contacts 
 to inp and inas nanowires without any sample processing , followed 
 by quantitative measurements of diameter dependent i  v properties with a very small spread in measured values compared 
 to standard techniques .