Nanostructured Materials in Different Dimensions for Sensing Applications

Abstract

Future sensing elements should be more specific, more sensitive, more reversible, and faster than today’s elements. These future sensing devices will either be integrated with suitable signal detection circuitry, typically based on Si microelectronics, or with optical signal detection, and finally interfaced to relevant state-of-the-art signal recognition hard- and software. Some of the more critical uses of sensors are in the dynamic surveillance of system parameters in complex machinery or in biological systems, such as our own bodies. Most of these demands are likely to be met by the continued rapid development of functional nanomaterials including bio-nanomaterials and biocompatible nanomaterials. A strong and increasing trend, also clear at this NATO-ASI, is the focus on using Au-dots deposited on various substrates for optical field enhancements and for other synergistic effects on electronic properties such as sheet conductivity, when deposited on polymer films or on metal oxide surfaces. Gas sensing with metal oxide surfaces is another very active area of development, where the high surface to volume ratio of thin films or nano-crystalline objects are in focus. In this report we demonstrate examples of the processing of silicon surfaces, aluminum surfaces and wooden saw dust powders to create nanostructured materials with interesting functional properties in novel types of self-limiting and self-organizing growths of one-, two- and three dimensional nano-template (i.e. nano-building block) systems, with a range of functionalities, as-formed, or after further integration. However, the focus in this report is on the growth processes and further treatments, as these are relatively new, and thus not widely known, but highly relevant for the functional properties of the resulting nanostructures, and for integration of the structures with silicon or in more complex systems.