Abstract
We experimentally investigate the photothermal conversion in disordered silicon nanowires (SiNWs) grown on a glass substrate by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The temporal and spatial response under illumination of a 532 nm laser has been measured by means of an infrared (IR) thermocamera. Fast heat generation and adjustable temperature increase from a few tens up to ≈600 °C have been observed in a confined small region around the laser spot. The performing photothermal conversion is related to the efficient light trapping in SiNWs, providing enhanced absorption in the visible spectrum, and nonradiative recombination of the photogenerated carriers, typically occurring in Si. These findings combined with a low-cost, low-temperature, and large-area fabrication technology promote the disordered SiNWs as a flexible heat source well suited for applications in multiple fields including biology, precision medicine, gas detection, and nanometallurgy.
Highlights
Nanostructures have found remarkable interest since they represent a bridge between a macroscopic and an atomic structure, with fascinating and tailorable properties, suitable for a wide range of applications in the fields of energy, lighting, molecular medicine, and life science, to name a few.[1−5] Recently, the fine control of the heat generation in photothermal nanomaterials is gaining much attention[6−15] due to their promising applications in cancer treatment[16] and in the direct collection, conversion, and storage of solar radiation as thermal energy.[17]
Delivering a thermal stimulus in the range of 35−45 °C directly and precisely to a region of micron and submicron dimensions will allow investigating cellular processes mediated by temperature with almost single-cell resolution or to realize novel therapeutic applications requiring a selective thermal stimulation.[25]
Au-catalyzed SiNWs were produced by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) on microscope glass slides
Summary
Nanostructures have found remarkable interest since they represent a bridge between a macroscopic and an atomic structure, with fascinating and tailorable properties, suitable for a wide range of applications in the fields of energy, lighting, molecular medicine, and life science, to name a few.[1−5] Recently, the fine control of the heat generation in photothermal nanomaterials is gaining much attention[6−15] due to their promising applications in cancer treatment[16] and in the direct collection, conversion, and storage of solar radiation as thermal energy.[17]. Delivering a thermal stimulus in the range of 35−45 °C directly and precisely to a region of micron and submicron dimensions will allow investigating cellular processes mediated by temperature with almost single-cell resolution or to realize novel therapeutic applications requiring a selective thermal stimulation.[25] Another interesting field of application is the detection of gases using conductive metal oxide sensors, which are one of the most relevant classes of gas sensors. Coupling a micro−nanoheater to metal oxide sensing materials could offer the remarkable advantage of fabricating a large array of chemically different sensing elements, which can be operated independently, having fast response and remote control (i.e., programmable in the order of milliseconds) supported by the implementation of thermal schedules.[27] These features are convenient when the sensor array is conceived as an “electronic nose” since the individual sensing elements possess unique temperature programs and material coatings due to variations in surface processes.
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