我們研究單根金奈米顆粒嵌入氧化矽奈米線的電性相關特性，此金奈米顆粒與氧化矽複合奈米線是利用微波電漿化學氣相沉積技術合成。單根奈米線元件的製作是使用電子束微影技術與聚焦離子束顯微系統完成。我們發現此氧化矽奈米線的電導率可藉由嵌入的金奈米顆粒的數量調制。從低溫電導率量測結果顯示，金奈米顆粒嵌入氧化矽奈米線之電子傳輸機制是由於電子在能帶的邊緣跳躍(band tail hopping)，主導整個電子傳輸。由於表面電漿共振效應，光響應的吸收峰會隨著嵌入氧化矽中的金形狀而改變，而此嵌入金的形狀可由成長奈米線的成長時間控制。根據時域有限差分法(Finite difference time domain,FDTD)模擬結果顯示金奈米顆粒嵌入氧化矽奈米線的電子場分佈圖符合光響應量測的結果。單根金奈米顆粒嵌入氧化矽奈米線元件也呈現出高的光波長選擇特性，光響應波段在約500nm處，同時也具有高的光傳導增益(photoconductive gain: 2×104)與較快的上升(~141μs)和回覆(~298μs)反應的時間常數(time constant)。此種金奈米顆粒嵌入無晶型態之氧化矽奈米線具有特殊的高的光傳導增益(photoconductive gain)與光電傳輸機制也在此篇論文中進行詳細的討論。
金奈米顆粒嵌入氧化矽奈米線具有獨特的吸收峰在可見光的範圍是由於表面電漿子共振的效應，此種特殊的特性應用於氣體感測器也在此篇論文提出。我們發現在室溫下進行量測，金奈米顆粒嵌入氧化矽奈米線元件在可見光(532nm)照耀下，由於表面電漿共振的效應可增進氣體感測的特性，同時也觀察到複合奈米線具有較好的氣體感測選擇性。主要針對氧氣有較好的感測能力。金奈米顆粒嵌入氧化矽奈米線氣體感測元件在可見光照耀下，可同時增進氣體感測能力與氣體感測響應的回覆時間，這是因為照光下產生的電洞與氧氣產生化學反應，使得氧氣分子較容易脫附於奈米線表面。 在可見光照下可增進氣體感測元件之氣體感測特性與電子傳輸機制也在此篇論文中討論，這種方式也開啟了未來應用於生物感測元件的新的路線。最後，我們所合成之大面積金奈米顆粒嵌入氧化矽奈米線提供了新的方式去增進電子的傳導特性與氣體感測能力。這個結果意謂著此複合奈米線可應用於未來奈米尺度下的光電元件與感測器元件。

We have studied the electrical properties of the single Gold-nanoparticles embedded silica nanowire (Au-NPs@silica NW), which was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition. The individual nanowire device was fabricated by E-beam lithography technique. Dark conductivity of the gold-peapodded silica nanowire can be adjusted by controlling the number of metal nanoparticles incorporated. The temperature-dependent conductivity measurement reveals that band tail hopping mechanism dominates the electron transport in the gold-peapodded silica nanowires. Furthermore, due to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect the photo-responsivity peak strongly dependents on the shape of the embedded gold nanostructures in silica nanowire in which the shape can be modified by controlling the growth time of Au-silica NWs. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation shows that the electric field distribution profiles of Au-silica composite nanowire supports the photo-responsivity spectrum results. The photodetector performance of the Au-NPs@silica nanowire is investigated. The single Au-NPs@silica nanowire exhibits unique photo-responsivity at visible range (500nm), high selectivity, high photoconductive gain (2×104) and very fast rise (141μs) and decay (298μs) time constant. Moreover, mechanism for the high photoconductivity gain is also discussed.
An intriguing system of wide band gap silica nanowire (SiOx NW) that absorbs visible light (532 nm) via surface plasmons of embedded gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) is reported for sensing applications. We report the surface plasmon resonance–enhanced molecular oxygen sensing by single Au-NPs@silica NW under 532 nm illumination (visible light) at room temperature. Excellent selectivity of the Au-NPs@silica NW to molecular oxygen, in air, has been demonstrated. Illumination improved the sensing properties in terms of response, and fast recovery time which can be attributed to the photo-generated hole mediated oxygen desorption. A general strategy of light modulated sensing, vis-à-vis dark, is demonstrated in a wide bandgap single NW system that could potentially open up routes for biosensing since silica and gold are both free of known bio-toxicity. Finally, the Au embedded amorphous silica nanowires has provided new approach to enhance not only the electron conduction, but also the chemical-sensor response/sensitivity. This result also implies that the Au-NPs@silica nanowire can be applied for future nanoscale opteelectronic devices.

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