Nanostructure Directed Gas-Surface Physisorption Based on Selective Modification of Nanopore Coated Micropores

摘要

Rapidly responding, reversible, sensitive, and selective gas sensors are formed with a highly efficient electrical contact to a nanopore covered micropore array. Significant changes are created with selective nanostructure deposition, based on a novel acid-base concept and correlating with a basis in "directed" physisorption. Highly selective surface coatings on 'phase matched' silicon nanopores placed on porous silicon micropores facilitate the application of nanostructured metal oxide fractional surface depositions, and provide for higher sensitivities and selectivity. Nanostructure depositions, which include Au_xO, SnO_2, Cu_xO, and NiO, as well as nano-alumina, and titania provide for the detection of gases including NO, NO_2, CO, NH_3, PH_3, SO_2, H_2S, HCl, and toluene in an array-based format at the sub-ppm level. Detection is dependent on [1] the nature of the combined pore structure (hybrid), [2] the generation of low-resistance contacts to this structure, and [3] the positioning of select nanostructures onto the structure.