Nanoparticles from the Gas Phase as Building Blocks for Electrical Devices

Electrical device development is driven by miniaturization and possibilities to use new chemical and physical effects. Nanotechnology offers both aspects. The structural dimensions of materials and devices are small and because of that large exchange surfaces are provided but also effects like quantum effects may occur and be used to get new or at least improved properties of nanostructured materials and devices.Nanoparticles are of special interest because of their nanodimensions in all three directions, so that nanoeffects become most prominent. They can be synthesized in solid materials, in liquids and in gases. Gas synthesis has several advantages compared to the other phases, especially the high cleanliness which can be achieved. In case of electrical devices the particles have to be deposited onto substrates in a structured way.The substrate may consist out of microelectronic devices in which the deposited nanoparticles are introduced for the basic function. In case of a transistor this would be the gate function, in case of a sensor this would be the sensing layer, where the contact with the measurement object takes place. For two kinds of particles SnO₂ and PbS, synthesized in the gas phase, we demonstrate the way how to create devices with improved sensor properties.