New class of electronic components created

ATLANTA, March 8 (UPI) -- U.S. nanoengineers have created a new class of electronic components by bending zinc oxide nanowires, creating "nano-piezotronics."

Georgia Institute of Technology researchers said they have demonstrated field-effect transistors, diodes, sensors -- and current-producing nanogenerators -- that operate by bending zinc oxide nanowires and nanobelts.

The new components take advantage of the relationship between the mechanical and electronic coupled behavior of piezoelectric nanomaterials, a mechanism the researchers call "nano-piezotronics"."

"Nano-piezotronics utilizes the coupling of piezoelectric and semiconducting properties to fabricate novel electronic components," said Professor Zhong Lin Wang. "These devices could provide the fundamental building blocks that would allow us to create a new area of electronics."

Development of a piezotronic gated diode based on zinc oxide nanowires was reported Feb. 13 in the online issue of the journal Advanced Materials. Other nano-piezotronic components have been reported in the journals Nano Letters and Science.