Tailoring transport and dielectric properties by surface passivation of silicon nanowires with Polyacrylic acid/TiO2 nanoparticles composite

•Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) based composite devices were fabricated.•Effect of surface capping on SiNWs was investigated.•Transport and dielectric properties were observed.•Space charge limited conduction is dominant conduction mechanism.

We have presented the composite device including silicon nanowires (SiNWs), Polyacrylic acid (PAA) and Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs). SiNWs and TiO2 NPs were synthesized by metal assisted electroless chemical etching (MACE) and co-precipitation method respectively. Solution containing PAA and TiO2 NPs in DI water was spun on already grown vertical SiNW arrays. We have investigated the transport and dielectric properties of p-type SiNWs/PAA/TiO2 NPs (p-SPT) and n-type SiNWs/PAA/TiO2 NPs (n-SPT) composite devices. Presence of PAA/TiO2 NPs on the surface of SiNWs have increased electrical current in p-SPT device than that of n-SPT device. Ohmic like conduction was dominant at lower bias voltages followed by space charge limited current (SCLC) with traps at intermediate voltages. The calculated values of trap densities (Ht) were 7.73 × 1011 cm−3 and 5.34 × 1011 cm−3 for p-SPT device and n-SPT device respectively. Similarly p-SPT device shows higher real part of dielectric constant (ε′) and AC conductivity (σac) ∼15 times and ∼85 times respectively than that of n-SPT device. Increment in electrical and dielectric properties can be attributed to the presence of hydrophilic materials (PAA/TiO2 NPs) which may results in enhancement of acceptor like states.

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