Study of a Single InSb Nanowire Fabricated via DC Electrodeposition in Porous Templates

InSb nanowire arrays have been fabricated by direct current electrodeposition inside the nanochannels of anodic alumina membranes without subsequent annealing. After Au contacts were patterned to the nanowires using electron beam lithography, photoresponse studies were conducted. Absorbance peaks were also recorded from free suspending nanowires. A significant response was observed when the wires were exposed to visible light and infrared absorption peaks were observed during absorption experiment. Comparisons were also made between single and multiple nanowires' responses. The nanowires also conduct almost no current in the dark, but when hit with light, they conduct 10,000 times more current. This photoconducting property could lead to a variety of tiny optoelectronic devices potentially useful in future generations of nanoelectronics and chemical sensors.