Nanoengineering of Semiconductor Nanowires-Synthesis, Processing and Sensing Applications

Semiconductor ZnO and GaN nanowires have shown the ability to detect many types of gases, biological and chemical species of interest. In this review, we give some recent examples of using these nanowires for pH sensing, glucose detection and hydrogen detection at ppm levels. In addition, new ion beam systems with nm resolution capability are now available. This opens up the possibility of directly writing doped regions into semi-insulating materials such as undoped GaAs or GaN for creation of arrays of nm channel transistors and other active elements. Initial work in this area is discussed.