AVS 51st International Symposium
    Nanometer-scale Science and Technology Thursday Sessions
       Session NS2-ThA

Paper NS2-ThA8
1-D Metal Oxide Sensor and Catalyst: the Comparative Study of Pristine and Surface Doped Individual Nanowire

Thursday, November 18, 2004, 4:20 pm, Room 213D

Session: Nanowires II
Presenter: M. Moskovits, University of California, Santa Barbara
Authors: A.A. Kolmakov, University of California, Santa Barbara
S.V. Kalinin, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Y. Lilach, University of California, Santa Barbara
M. Moskovits, University of California, Santa Barbara
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We investigated transport properties of individual metal oxide single crystal nanowires and nanobelts operating in high vacuum and under â?oreal worldâ? conditions for sensing and catalysis applications. Using impedance measurements under different gas environment in conjunction with scanning probe microscopy we were able to determine the major factors contributing to charge transport in nanowire. We found that when nanowire radius is comparable with its Debye length, the adsorption/desorption of donor/acceptor molecules on the surface of the nanowire and in its proximity alters the bulk electron density inside the nanowire what sensitively modulates conductivity of the nanowire. In vivo conductometric measurements on individual nanowire during its surface doping with metal particles reveals the formation of nano-Schottky barriers which drastically enhance of the reactivity/selectivity of the nanowire as gas sensors and catalyst.