Piezoresistive effect in MoO3 nanobelts and its application in strain-enhanced oxygen sensors

• Published in: Nano research Vol. 7; no. 2; pp. 180 - 189
• Main Authors: Wen, Xiaonan, Yang, Weiqing, Ding, Yong, Niu, Simiao, Wang, Zhong Lin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Tsinghua University Press 01.02.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Crystal structure; Graphene; Materials Science; Molybdenum; Nanotechnology; Research Article; Scanning electron microscopy; Sensors; Thin films; Transmission electron microscopy; 三氧化钼; 压阻效应; 应变强化; 扫描电子显微镜; 气体传感器; 氧传感器; 纳米带; 透射电子显微镜; United States > US; China; Georgia; piezoresistive effect; oxygen sensor; nanobelt; molybdenum trioxide
• ISSN: 1998-0124; 1998-0000
• DOI: 10.1007/s12274-013-0385-8

MoO3 nanobelts （NBs） having different properties have been synthesized via a physical vapor deposition （PVD） method. The crystallographic structures and morphologies of the NBs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Electrical measurements were performed and the profound piezoresistive effect in MoO3 experimentally studied and verified. Factors that influence the gauge factor, such as NB size, doping concentration and atmosphere composition, are discussed and analyzed. Gas sensing performance was also tested in devices and it was demonstrated that by applying strain to the gas sensor, its sensing performance could be effectively tuned and enhanced. This study provides the first demonstration of significant piezoresistivity in MoO3 NBs and the first illustration of a generic mechanism by means of which this effect can be coupled with other electronic modulation measures to afford better device performance and broader material functionality.