A novel method for zinc oxide nanowire sensor fabrication

• Main Author: Pelatt, Brian D.
• Other Authors: Conley, John F. Jr
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: Zinc oxide; nanowire; sensor; Nanowires; Photoresists
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/14785

Interest in nanomaterials is motivated partly by their potential for sensor arrays to detect different gases. Nanowires in particular are of interest because their high surface-to-volume ratio promises the possibility of high sensitivity. However, because of their discrete quasi-one-dimensional geometry, electrical integration of nanowires into photolithographically defined devices and circuits is challenging and remains one of the obstacles to their widespread use. In this thesis, a novel method for fabricating electrically integrated zinc oxide nanobridge devices using carbonized photoresist is investigated. The conductivity of carbonized photoresist is known and nanowire growth on carbonized photoresist has recently been reported, suggesting the possibility of simultaneous use as a nucleation layer and electrode. However, these reports did not characterize the contact between the ZnO nanowires and carbonized photoresist. In this work, ZnO nanobridges are fabricated between opposing carbonized photoresist electrodes and characterized both electrically and with electron microscopy. Operation of nanobridge devices as bottom gate transistors, UV sensors, and gas sensors is demonstrated. === Graduation date: 2010