Nanoparticles and nanowires for better explosive detectors

Researchers at Hewlett-Packard and the University of California at Irvine say they have a process that uses basic semiconductor manufacturing to fabricate arrays of nanoparticles in minutes. Ultrasensitive chemical sensors based on nanoparticles have the potential to detect a single molecule of an explosive or other hazardous chemical.

Gold nanowires on silicon (colorized for better contrast). A simple and inexpensive process, developed by Hewlett-Packard researchers, for making such nanowires and nanoparticles could be used to detect trace amounts of various explosives and dangerous chemicals