Photothermal‐Induced Nanowelding of Metal–Semiconductor Heterojunction in Integrated Nanowire Units

Abstract

Abstract An improvised and comparatively inexpensive method for welding semiconductors and metal nanowires (NWs) utilizing a plasmon‐enhanced photothermal effect is presented in this article. Different types of heterojunction‐based (single Schottky junction and back‐to‐back Schottky junctions) electronic nanodevices are fabricated by welding various combinations of silver and ZnO NWs on two gold electrodes using continuous wave laser (λ = 532 nm) shots. It is inferred from the current–voltage characteristic curves of these devices that the junction formed between the ZnO nanowire (NW) and the gold electrode demonstrates Schottky barrier‐like behavior, whereas the junctions between silver‐and‐gold and silver‐and‐ZnO behave like ohmic contacts. The maximum currents obtained for a single Schottky junction and back‐to‐back Schottky junctions corresponding to the applied bias voltage 40 V are 42 µA and 7 µA, respectively. This plasmon‐enhanced nanowelding technique extends the range of applications of nanowelding in fabrication of electronic nanodevices.