Lab talk
Nov 29, 2007
Portable microsensors based on individual SnO2 nanowires
Individual SnO2 nanowires were integrated in micro-hotplates using focused ion beam nanolithography techniques. The final devices, whose temperature can be modulated with the help of a microheater, show good performance as gas microsensors. Portable and reliable nanowire-based devices are obtained using the nanofabrication methodology that is presented here.
Nanowires are gaining an increasing interest because of their new physical, chemical and electrical properties. Although several works have demonstrated that nanowire-based devices with new performances can be obtained, the large and expensive equipment that is usually required to characterize them is only available in laboratories.
Our work was devoted to the design and fabrication of the first prototypes capable of working in real conditions in an autonomous way. The reproducible and well controlled gas response of individual SnO2 nanowires contacted on micro-hotplates with integrated heaters is one of the first demonstrations that real applications can be developed using single nanomaterials. This new experimental approach is considered by the authors as an illustrative example of how nanotechnology can be used in our everyday life.
About the author
The authors of this work are based at different institutions located in Spain and Germany. The large number of authors demonstrates that the development of complex and real devices based on nanomaterials requires people specialized in different fields, such as chemistry, physics and engineering. Dr Francisco Hernández-RamÃrez holds a PhD degree in physics from the University of Barcelona. His research interests include nanofabrication and electrical characterization of devices based on individual nanowires. He is currently a researcher at EME/CeRMAE/IN2UB/NTEC106, SL in Barcelona, Spain.
