Field-induced semiconductor-metal transition in individual NiO–Ni Schottky nanojunction

Abstract

Ni nanowire arrays were obtained by electrochemical deposition in a template. After oxidation, one-dimensional NiO–Ni Schottky junctions with nanoscale-thickness NiO layer were achieved, and the structure was characterized in terms of different scales. By application of an electric field through atomic force microscopy, the semiconductor-metal transition was observed and an enhanced nonlinearity was found in the individual Schottky nanojunction at room temperature. This kind of Schottky nanojunction requires no doping and may provide a wide variety of applications in the future.