Work Function as a Useful Feature for Development of SnO2 Nanowires Based Gas Sensing Devices

Interest in nanowires of semiconducting oxides is exponentially grown in the last years, due to their attracting potential applications in electronic, optical and sensor field. We have focused our attention on the sensing properties of metal oxide nanostructures as gas sensors. Single crystal nanostructures were synthesized with the aim of exploring and studying their capabilities as nanosized sensors in form of multi nanowires sensors. We have studied for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, work function changes of tin oxide nanowires as a function the surrounding atmosphere. Furthermore we have compared the results obtained with conductance measurements in the same conditions.