Self-heated Nanowire Sensors: Opportunities, Optimization and Limitations

摘要

Semiconducting qusi-1D chemiresistors are nearly ideal substances for deployment of self-heating effect in gas sensorics. The latter is due to beneficial morphology of the nanowires, which hampers thermal losses to the environment, substrate and metal leads. Since the self-heated nanowire sensor device does not require an external heater, this effect can be used to fabricate nanoscopic sensors operable at room temperature with ultra-small power consumption. The analysis of the heat partitioning in self-heated nanowire device indicate the existence of its optimal architecture where power consumption of few μW is achievable in air.