Direct printing of silver nanoparticles by an agarose stamp on planar and patterned substrates

In this study, we have used an agarose stamp to conduct direct printing of silver nanoparticles, nanowires and nanoplates on both planar and structured substrates. Nanoparticle solution could be first coated on an agarose stamp, and then transferred to a planar substrate. Micro-patterns comprising metal nanoparticles could be printed on planar substrates without the formation of residual layers. Thus a three-dimensional metal microstructure could be easily fabricated. The patterning of electrodes by printing Ag nanowires directly on TiO(2) was also demonstrated to fabricate resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices by all-solution-processing methods. By using a flat agarose stamp, the patterns printed on the microstructured substrates were quite different from those on the nanostructured substrates. On the microstructured substrates, direct printing could print silver nanoparticles onto the protrusion surface, and could print silver layers as thick as several microns, useful for high conductivity electrodes. On the substrates with nanostructures such as photonic crystals or nano-gratings, direct printing could transfer nanoparticles into the grooves or cavities only due to the contact of the agarose stamp with the groove or concavity surface. A new approach to fabricate metal wire grid polarizers was further demonstrated. A nanoporous agarose stamp has a good potential for printing using nanoparticle suspension.     

Functionalizing nanowires with catalytic nanoparticles for gas sensing application

Metal oxide semiconducting nanowires are among the most promising materials systems for use as conductometric gas sensors. These systems function by converting surface chemical processes, often catalytic processes, into observable conductance variations in the nanowire. The surface properties, and hence the sensing properties of these devices can be altered dramatically improving the sensitivity and selectivity, by the deposition of catalytic metal nanoparticles on the nanowire's surface. This leads not only to promising sensor strategies but to a route for understanding some of the fundamental science occurring on these nanoparticles and at the metal/nanowire junction. In particular studying these systems can lead to a better understanding of the influence of the catalyst particle on the electronic structure of the nanowire and its electron transport. This report surveys results obtained so far in this area. In particular, the comparative sensing performance of single quasi-1D chemiresistors (i.e., nanowires or nanobelts) before and after surface decoration with noble metal catalyst particles show significant improvement in sensitivity toward oxidizing and reducing gases. Moreover, one finds that the sensing mechanism can depend dramatically on the degree of metal coverage of the nanowire.     

Hydrogen gas sensor using Pd nanowires electro-deposited into anodized alumina template

This paper demonstrates a new kind of hydrogen sensor using palladium (Pd) nanowires. Hydrogen sensors using Pd metal have usually been utilizing the incremental change in electrical resistance of Pd upon hydrogen incorporation. Unlike the conventional Pd hydrogen sensors, however, the electrical resistance of the present Pd nanowire sensor decreases when hydrogen is incorporated into Pd nanowires. It is considered to be due to swelling of the nanowires as the result of hydrogen incorporation and subsequent narrowing of gaps between the nanowires, even though each nanowire should have had the higher resistance inherently. Because of extraordinarily high surface area of nanowires, the performance of sensing the hydrogen concentration was found to superior by far to the conventional Pd sensors. The response and recovery times are quite fast to be about 0.7 and 20 s, respectively and the sensing range of 0.2 /spl sim/ 1% 1% hydrogen concentration is suitable for the hydrogen safety sensors. The sensor introduced in this paper is unique with regard to both the sensing mechanism and performance.     

Electroless synthesis of 3 nm wide alloy nanowires inside Tobacco mosaic virus

We show that 3 nm wide cobalt-iron alloy nanowires can be synthesized by simple wet chemical electroless deposition inside tubular Tobacco mosaic virus particles. The method is based on adsorption of Pd(II) ions, formation of a Pd catalyst, and autocatalytic deposition of the alloy from dissolved metal salts, reduced by a borane compound. Extensive energy-filtering TEM investigations at the nanoscale revealed that the synthesized wires are alloys of Co, Fe, and Ni. We confirmed by high-resolution TEM that our alloy nanowires are at least partially crystalline, which is compatible with typical Co-rich alloys. Ni traces bestow higher stability, presumably against corrosion, as also known from bulk CoFe. Alloy nanowires, as small as the ones presented here, might be used for a variety of applications including high density data storage, imaging, sensing, and even drug delivery.     

Controlling orientation of V(2)O(5) nanowires within micropatterns via microcontact printing combined with the gluing Langmuir-Blodgett technique

Previously, we suggested a facile method to transfer dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB)/V(2)O(5) nanowire hybrid patterns onto both hydrophobic and hydrophilic substrates via microcontact printing combined with the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique (Park et al 2007 Nanotechnology 18 405301). Herein, we report on the delicate control of the orientation of V(2)O(5) nanowires within the micropatterns transferred via the gluing LB technique using a patterned polydimethylsilicate (PDMS) stamp. According to the orientation of the PDMS line patterns relative to the air-water interface, the aligned orientation of the nanowires, either parallel or perpendicular to the patterns, could be obtained and attributed to the moving direction of the water menisci formed between the PDMS stamp and water. In particular, addition of a small amount of ethanol in the subphase enhanced the dispersion of the DODAB at the air-water interface as well as the aggregation of V(2)O(5) nanowires, resulting in alignment of the V(2)O(5) nanowires via compression of the hybrid LB film by a barrier. Directional alignment of nanowires has potentially broad applications in the fabrication of aligned nanowire devices.     

Synthesis of Metal/Bimetal Nanowires and Their Applications as Flexible Transparent Electrodes

As a potential alternative to indium oxide (ITO), metal nanowire transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) have attracted more and more attention. Here, a facile method that can be applied to the synthesis of a variety of metal/bimetallic nanowires has been proposed. Metal/bimetallic nanowires synthesized through this method show high aspect ratios and great dispersibility, which makes them ideal building blocks for transparent electrodes. The synthesis mechanism is discussed in‐depth to give a theoretical basis of morphology control of metal nanostructures in organic synthesizing systems. TCEs with high flexibility, excellent optical–electrical performance as well as outstanding anti‐thermal and anti‐moisture stability are constructed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work on synthesizing multiple metal/bimetallic nanowires through one method.     

Fabrication of Nanowire Channels with Unidirectional Alignment and Controlled Length by a Simple,Gas‐Blowing‐Assisted,Selective‐Transfer‐Printing Technique

A printing‐based lithographic technique for the patterning of V₂O₅ nanowire channels with unidirectional orientation and controlled length is introduced. The simple, directional blowing of a patterned polymer stamp with N₂ gas, inked with randomly distributed V₂O₅ nanowires, induces alignment of the nanowires perpendicular to the long axis of the line patterns. Subsequent stamping on the amine‐terminated surface results in the selective transfer of the aligned nanowires with a controlled length corresponding to the width of the relief region of the polymer stamp. By employing such a gas‐blowing‐assisted, selective‐transfer‐printing technique, two kinds of device structures consisting of nanowire channels and two metal electrodes with top contact, whereby the nanowires were aligned either parallel (parallel device) or perpendicular (serial device) to the current flow in the conduction channel, are fabricated. The electrical properties demonstrate a noticeable difference between the two devices, with a large hysteresis in the parallel device but none in the serial device. Systematic analysis of the hysteresis and the electrical stability account for the observed hysteresis in terms of the proton diffusion in the water layer of the V₂O₅ nanowires, induced by the application of an external bias voltage higher than a certain threshold voltage.     

Fabrication of a single metal nanowire connected with dissimilar metal electrodes and its application to chemical sensing

We report a convenient method for the fabrication of a single metal nanowire connected with dissimilar metal electrodes and its application to chemical sensing. The method is based on a combination of atomic force microscopy nanomachining and conventional photolithography. The success of this integrated approach is confirmed by the linear current-voltage behavior of the created nanowires and comparable resistivities with those reported previously. The chemical sensing capability is demonstrated by the selective binding of a self-assembled monolayer onto a single Au nanowire connected with Ti electrodes and the subsequent resistance increase due to increased surface scattering effects after adsorption. It is found that the resistance increases by around 9% after the complete coverage of either octadecanethiol or dodecanethiol molecules onto a 20 nm thick Au nanowire. A theoretical explanation for the relationship between the resistance increase and the alkanethiol concentration is also given.     

Metal Oxide Nanowire and Thin-Film-Based Gas Sensors for Chemical Warfare Simulants Detection

This work concerns with metal oxide (MOX) gas sensors based on nanowires and thin films. We focus on chemical warfare agents (CWAs) detection to compare these materials from the functional point-of-view. We work with different chemicals including simulants for Sarin nerve agents, vescicant gases, cyanide agents, and analytes such as ethanol, acetone, ammonia, and carbon monoxide that can be produced by everyday activities causing false alarms. Explorative data analysis has been used to demonstrate the different sensing performances of nanowires and thin films. Within the chosen application, our analysis reveal that the introduction of nanowires inside the array composed by thin films can improve its sensing capability. Cyanide simulants have been detected at concentrations close to 1 ppm, lower than the Immediately Dangerous for Life and Health (IDLH) value of the respective warfare agent. Higher sensitivity has been obtained to simulants for Sarin and vescicant gases, which have been detected at concentrations close or even lower than 100 ppb. Results demonstrate the suitability of the proposed array to selectively detect CWA simulants with respect to some compounds produced by everyday activities.     

Chemoselective nanowire fuses: chemically induced cleavage and electrical detection of carbon nanofiber bridges

A new type of nanoscale bioswitch based on the electrical detection of chemically induced cleavage of chemical bonds, which bind individual nanowires across a pair of electrodes is demonstrated. Carbon nanofibers are manipulated using dielectrophoresis to form single-nanowire bridges across microelectrode junctions, and are anchored through a biomolecular interaction. Once in place, chemically induced cleavage of a recognition site along the bonds linking the nanowire to the electrodes allows the nanowire to be easily removed by a flow of fluid; this removal can be detected in real time via changes in the AC electrical response. This form of sensing is inherently digital in nature as the removal of a single nanowire produces a sudden decrease in the current between electrodes and is essentially a chemoselective fuse. These results suggest that this sensing principle could be a general method for digital chemical and/or biological sensing using individual nanowires.     

Metal oxide nanoarchitectures for environmental sensing

Metal oxide materials are widely used for gas sensing. Capable of operating at elevated temperatures and in harsh environments, they are mechanically robust and relatively inexpensive and offer exquisite sensing capabilities, the performance of which is dependent upon the nanoscale morphology. In this paper we first review different routes for the fabrication of metal oxide nanoarchitectures useful to sensing applications, including mesoporous thin films, nanowires, and nanotubes. Two sensor test cases are then presented. The first case examines the use of highly uniform nanoporous Al2O3 for humidity sensing; we find that such materials can be successfully used as a wide-range humidity sensor. The second test case examines the use of TiO2 nanotubes for hydrogen sensing. Going from a nitrogen atmosphere to one containing 1000 ppm of hydrogen, at 290 degrees C, 22-nm-diameter titania nanotubes demonstrate a 10(4) change in measured resistance with no measurement hysteresis.     

On the formation of voids, etched holes, and GaO particles configuration during the nanowires growth by VLS method on GaAs substrate

The nanowires grown on GaAs semiconductor substrate play very important roles in nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, and sensors. The nanowires can be produced by many methods among the existing methods of nanowires growth on GaAs semiconductor, the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) method appears to be simple, low cost, and popular. However, this method in practice requires further investigations concerning the growth mechanisms, size effects, and the role of Au catalyst metal diffusion, as well as the effect of technological conditions. Several undesired phenomena, which strongly influence the morphologies, features, and applications of the grown nanowires, can occur as the result of using thick Au catalyst layers, high growth temperatures, and/or small vapor volume in the closed ampoule. This paper aims to examine simultaneous formation of voids, etched holes, and GaO particles along with the nanowires grown by VLS method on GaAs substrate. As the result, typical technological conditions for the nanowires growth with better characterizations are proposed.     

Epitaxial integration of nanowires in microsystems by local micrometer-scale vapor-phase epitaxy

Free-standing epitaxially grown nanowires provide a controlled growth system and an optimal interface to the underlying substrate for advanced optical, electrical, and mechanical nanowire device connections. Nanowires can be grown by vapor-phase epitaxy (VPE) methods such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or metal organic VPE (MOVPE). However, VPE of semiconducting nanowires is not compatible with several microfabrication processes due to the high synthesis temperatures and issues such as cross-contamination interfering with the intended microsystem or the VPE process. By selectively heating a small microfabricated heater, growth of nanowires can be achieved locally without heating the entire microsystem, thereby reducing the compatibility problems. The first demonstration of epitaxial growth of silicon nanowires by this method is presented and shows that the microsystem can be used for rapid optimization of VPE conditions. The important issue of the cross-contamination of other parts of the microsystem caused by the local growth of nanowires is also investigated by growth of GaN near previously grown silicon nanowires. The design of the cantilever heaters makes it possible to study the grown nanowires with a transmission electron microscope without sample preparation.     

Metal Nanowire Networks: The Next Generation of Transparent Conductors

There is an ongoing drive to replace the most common transparent conductor, indium tin oxide (ITO), with a material that gives comparable performance, but can be coated from solution at speeds orders of magnitude faster than the sputtering processes used to deposit ITO. Metal nanowires are currently the only alternative to ITO that meets these requirements. This Progress Report summarizes recent advances toward understanding the relationship between the structure of metal nanowires, the electrical and optical properties of metal nanowires, and the properties of a network of metal nanowires. Using the structure–property relationship of metal nanowire networks as a roadmap, this Progress Report describes different synthetic strategies to produce metal nanowires with the desired properties. Practical aspects of processing metal nanowires into high‐performance transparent conducting films are discussed, as well as the use of nanowire films in a variety of applications.     

Effect of annealing temperature on the characteristics and sensing properties of WO<Subscript>3</Subscript> nanowires

A uniform WO₃ nanowire structure was prepared by two-step thermal oxidation method on Si substrate. WO₃ nanowires show different morphology and crystal structures after annealing at different temperatures. The influence of annealing temperature on WO₃ nanowires was investigated by SEM, TEM and XRD. Higher crystallization property and lower surface state was obtained with higher annealing temperature. The gas sensing properties of the WO₃ nanowires with various annealing temperatures to NO₂ with the concentration ranging from 1 to 4 ppm were examined at different temperatures ranging from room temperature to 200 °C. The results indicate that WO₃ nanowires can greatly lower the working temperature of sensors and sensors based on WO₃ nanowires show p-type or n-type sensing behaviors depending on annealing temperatures. Possible sensing mechanism of p-type WO₃ nanowires and the influence of annealing temperature on sensing types was explained. This work might supply new ideas about gas sensing mechanisms and open a new way to develop p-type WO₃ sensing materials.     

Self‐Assembled Pb Nanostructures on Si(111) Surfaces: From Nanowires to Nanorings

A template‐directed growth method for metals is described in which ordered arrays of super‐long single‐crystalline metal nanowires with atomic‐level‐controlled width, thickness (height), and surface location are prepared by molecular beam epitaxy. Their subsequent examination by in situ scanning tunneling microscopy is also outlined. A phase‐separated stripe pattern composed of alternately a Ge‐rich incommensurate phase and a √3 × √3 phase is first obtained by Ge deposition on Si(111) substrates. Further deposition of Pb on this patterned surface leads to a well‐ordered array of super‐long Pb nanowires. Using the same mechanism, superconducting Pb nanorings can also be fabricated. In this review of our recent work, these Pb single‐crystalline nanowires and nanorings are shown to serve as an ideal platform for the study of superconductivity in reduced dimensionalities. Furthermore, because the widths and spatial distributions of two phases can be precisely controlled by the Ge coverage and substrate temperature, and because a metal will always selectively nucleate on one of two phases, this template‐directed growth method can be applied to a wide range of metals.     

Synthesis of copper-ferrous (CuFe) nanowires via electrochemical method and its investigations as a fluid sensor

The special behaviour of nanowires with respect to electrical conductivity makes them suitable for sensing application. In this paper, we present a copper-ferrous (CuFe) nanowires based sensor for detection of chemicals. CuFe nanowires were synthesized by template-assisted electrochemical method. By optimizing the deposition parameters, continuous nanowires on a copper substrate were synthesized. The morphological and structural studies of the synthesized CuFe nanowires were carried out using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Substrates containing CuFe nanowires were moulded to form a capacitor. Different chemicals were used as dielectric in the capacitor which showed that the capacitance was a nonlinear function of the dielectric constant of fluid unlike the linear relation shown by conventional capacitors. This unique property of the nanowires based capacitors may be utilized for developing fluid sensors with improved sensitivity.     

Effect of molecular adsorption on the electrical conductance of single au nanowires fabricated by electron-beam lithography and focused ion beam etching

Metal nanowires are one of the potential candidates for nanostructured sensing elements used in future portable devices for chemical detection; however, the optimal methods for fabrication have yet to be fully explored. Two routes to nanowire fabrication, electron-beam lithography (EBL) and focused ion beam (FIB) etching, are studied, and their electrical and chemical sensing properties are compared. Although nanowires fabricated by both techniques exhibit ohmic conductance, I-V characterization indicates that nanowires fabricated by FIB etching exhibit abnormally high resistivity. In addition, the resistivity of nanowires fabricated by FIB etching shows very low sensitivity toward molecular adsorption, while those fabricated by EBL exhibit sensitive resistance change upon exposure to solution-phase adsorbates. The mean grain sizes of nanowires prepared by FIB etching are much smaller than those fabricated by EBL, so their resistance is dominated by grain-boundary scattering. As a result, these nanowires are much less sensitive to molecular adsorption, which mediates nanowire conduction through surface scattering. The much reduced mean grain sizes of these nanowires correlate with Ga ion damage caused during the ion milling process. Thus, even though the nanowires prepared by FIB etching can be smaller than their EBL counterparts, their reduced sensitivity to adsorption suggests that nanowires produced by EBL are preferred for chemical and biochemical sensing applications.     

Conductance-based chemical sensing in metallic nanowires and metal-semiconductor nanostructures

Conductance-based chemical sensing in metal-semiconductor nanostructures and all-metal nanowires of atomic dimensions is garnering increased interest. Adsorbed gas molecules can migrate to a metal-semiconductor junction, thereby shifting the magnitude of the Schottky barrier and altering electrical impedance, whereas atomic scale metal junctions can sensitively report the presence of adsorbates through their impact on ballistic electron transport.     

Conversion of a Bi nanowire array to an array of Bi-Bi2O3 core-shell nanowires and Bi2O3 nanotubes

A template-based heat-treatment method has been developed to convert metal nanowire arrays into arrays of metal-metal oxide core-shell nanowires and single-crystalline metal oxide nanotubes. This process is demonstrated by kinetically controlling the conversion of single-crystalline Bi nanowires to Bi-Bi(2)O(3) core-shell nanowires via a multistep, slow oxidation method, and then controlling their further conversion to a single-crystalline Bi(2)O(3) nanotube array via fast oxidation. This process can conveniently be extended to fabricate a free-standing, easily oxidized metal-metal oxide nanowire and metal oxide nanotube array, which may have future applications in nanoscale optics, electronics, and magnetics.