Hydrogen gas sensors from polysilicon nanobelt devices selectively modified with sensing materials.

Double-junction n+/n-/n+ polysilicon nanobelts featuring selectively deposited sensing materials have been investigated for application as H2 gas sensors. The selective modification of the devices was performed through a combination of localized ablation of a resist and lift-off of a previous catalyst material deposited through e-beam evaporation. Four nanobelt devices, differentiated by their doping concentrations at the n- region (from 2.5 × 1013 to 2.5 × 1014 cm-2), were analyzed in terms of the responses to H2 and their self-heating effects. A low doping concentration improved the response at room temperature, owing to a longer Debye length. The variation in the H2-induced surface potential associated with temperature, accounting for degradation in the response of the nanobelts with Joule heating bias, was analyzed in terms of the I-V characteristics of the double-junction device. Among various catalysts (Pt, Pd, Pt/Pd) evaluated for their H2 sensing characteristics, an ultrathin film of Pt/Pd was most favorable.

Selective Deposition of Multiple Sensing Materials on Si Nanobelt Devices through Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition and Device-Localized Joule Heating.

This paper describes a novel method, using device-localized Joule heating (JH) in a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) system, for the selective deposition of platinum (Pt) and zinc oxide (ZnO) in the n- regions of n+/n-/n+ polysilicon nanobelts (SNBs). COMSOL simulations were adopted to estimate device temperature distribution. However, during ALD process, the resistance of SNB device decreased gradually and reached to minima after 20 min JH. As a result, thermal decomposition of precursors occurred during PEALD process. Selective deposition in the n- region was dominated by CVD instead of ALD. Selective deposition of Pt and ZnO films has been achieved and characterized using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy.

Fluorescence enhancement and multiple protein detection in ZnO nanostructure microfluidic devices.

In this study, different morphological ZnO nanostructures, those of sharp nanowires (NWs), rod NWs, and hexahedral-puncheon nanostructures, were grown in microfluidic channels on the same glass substrate. Characterizations of correspondent biomolecule binding properties were simulated and demonstrated. The surface was modified using 3-ammineopropyl-triethoxysilane (3-APTES) and biotin-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (NHS-biotin). Different concentrations (4.17pM to 41.7nM) of dye-conjugated streptavidin were simultaneously infused through the second microfluidic channels, which lie 90° from the first microfluidic channels. The florescent intensity at the crossover areas showed good agreement with simulations, with sharp ZnO NWs exhibiting the largest dynamic range and the highest fluorescent intensity. We further characterize correspondent protein detection using sharp ZnO NWs. The surfaces of these ZnO NWs were modified with mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG), infused through the second microfluidic channels with dye-conjugated (Alexa 546) anti-mouse IgG in different concentrations. Concentrations ranging from 417fM to 41.7nM can be resolved using sharp ZnO NWs. Finally, multiple protein detection was demonstrated using a five-by-eight microfluidic channel array. Fluorescence images present clear multiple detections at the crossover areas when using the sharp ZnO NWs for simultaneous dye-conjugated anti-mouse IgG and dye-conjugated anti-rabbit IgG (Alexa 647) detection.

Intensify the application of ZnO-based nanodevices in humid environment: O2/H2 plasma suppressed the spontaneous reaction of amorphous ZnO nanowires.

In this work, we have demonstrated that amorphous ZnO nanobranches (a-ZnO NBs) could spontaneously react from the crystalline ZnO NWs (c-ZnO NWs) at specific humid environment. The spontaneous reaction mechanism and result can be analyzed by humidity controlling and optical microscope (OM)/scanning electron microscope (SEM)/Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM)/transmission electron microscopy (TEM) system. We can make the c-ZnO NWs spontaneous reaction happen at different humid environments and suppress the a-ZnO NBs spontaneous reaction by oxygen/hydrogen plasma surface passivation. The hydrogen plasma surface treatment also can improve the UV sensing sensitivity more than twofold. This work provides the mechanism and methods of the a-ZnO NBs spontaneous growth and offers the passivation treatment for strengthening and enhancing ZnO-based nanodevice application in humid environment and UV light detection, respectively.

Self-assembled monolayer-based selective modification on polysilicon nanobelt devices.

In this study, a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of methoxy-poly (ethylene-glycol)-silane (mPEG-sil) was used to modify the silicon dioxide surface of polysilicon nanodevices (PNDs) to act as a passivation layer that inhibits nonspecific binding of proteins and reduces localized Joule heating power. Selective modifications of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS), NHS-biotin and dye-labeled Streptavidin on the removal regions were characterized. These PNDs, which consist of a two-level doping profile, were designed to confine heat in the low-level doping region during localized Joule heating. Localized Joule heating with pulse bias was examined in both vacuum and ambient, which indicated the removal region was longer in vacuum for the same pulse bias. Moreover, a comparison of selectively and nonselectively modified PNDs observed in time-lapsed fluorescence detection of dye-labeled Streptavidin showed a higher increasing rate in fluorescence intensity (∼2× enhancement) in the selectively modified PNDs. Finally, a COMSOL simulation was employed to evaluate the temperature distribution in the PNDs, with results showing that heat confinement was observed in the low-level doping region and a temperature very close to 673 K was achieved while applying a pulse voltage (40 V, 5 µs) to remove mPEG-sil.

Potential-controlled electrodeposition of gold dendrites in the presence of cysteine.

Crystalline Au dendrites were formed by electrodeposition on a glassy carbon electrode from a solution of HAuCl(4) containing cysteine. The Au dendrites possessed a hierarchical architecture with three-fold symmetry; they comprised trunks, branches, and nanorod leaves, which all grew along the <111> direction.