Bridging Nanowires for Enhanced Gas Sensing Properties

It is crucial to develop new bottom-up fabrication methods with control over the physical properties of the active materials to produce high-performance devices. This article reports well-controlled, without seed layer and site-selective hydrothermal method to produce ZnO bridging nanowires sensors. By controlling the growth environment, the performance of the sensor became more efficient. The presented on-chip bridging nanowire sensor enhanced sensitivity toward acetone gas (200 ppm) around 63 and fast response time (420 ms) and recovery time (900 ms). The enhancement in the speed of response and recovery is ascribed to the exceptional NW-NW junction barrier that governs the sensor’s conductivity, and the excellent contact between ZnO nanowires and Au electrodes.