Self-heated silicon nanowires for high performance hydrogen gas detection

Abstract

Self-heated silicon nanowire sensors for high-performance, ultralow-power hydrogen detection have been developed. A top-down nanofabrication method based on well-established semiconductor manufacturing technology was utilized to fabricate silicon nanowires in wafer scale with high reproducibility and excellent compatibility with electronic readout circuits. Decoration of palladium nanoparticles onto the silicon nanowires enables sensitive and selective detection of hydrogen gas at room temperature. Self-heating of silicon nanowire sensors allows us to enhance response and recovery performances to hydrogen gas, and to reduce the influence of interfering gases such as water vapor and carbon monoxide. A short-pulsed heating during recovery was found to be effective for additional reduction of operation power as well as recovery characteristics. This self-heated silicon nanowire gas sensor will be suitable for ultralow-power applications such as mobile telecommunication devices and wireless sensing nodes.