Si nanowires with porous segments for photon-triggered transistors

Optical triggering for current generation in a single Si nanowire embedded with porous segments is studied to demonstrate photon-triggered transistors with a high on-off ratio. The formation of multiple localized porous Si structures in a nanowire and their uniform and sensitive responses to light enable practical implementation of photonic devices such as photon-triggered logic gates and high-resolution photodetectors. This review introduces the recent progress on the photon-triggered nanowire transistors. First, it describes two methods to synthesize porous Si segments in a nanowire and analysis of their structural properties. Second, the review describes the experimental and theoretical characterizations of photon-triggered nanowire transistors. Third, it introduces the design and implementation of logic gates, including AND, OR, and NAND, and multi-pixel photodetectors using a single Si nanowire with two or more porous Si segments. This review suggests that an effective integration of photon-triggered transistors in a single nanowire can serve as a versatile platform for new multifunctional optoelectronic devices.