Highly sensitive, low-power, and chip-scale H₂ gas sensors are crucial. Pd nanoparticle (PdNP)-functionalized field-effect transistors (FETs) show promise but suffer from weak capacitive coupling. This work introduces a nanoscale FET sensor where electrons tunnel between the channel and PdNPs, equilibrating them. Gas reactions with PdNPs perturb this equilibrium, triggering electron transfer via trapping/de-trapping. This direct communication enables efficient signal transduction, resulting in record-high responses to 1–1000 ppm H₂ at room temperature, a detection limit in the low ppb regime, and ultra-low power consumption (~300 nW). The mechanism is potentially applicable to other gases.
Publisher
Nature Communications
Published On
Jun 19, 2024
Authors
Qitao Hu, Paul Solomon, Lars Österlund, Zhen Zhang
Tags
H₂ gas sensors
Pd nanoparticles
field-effect transistors
electron tunneling
signal transduction
low power consumption
nanoscale technology
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