Supersensitive Detection of Explosives by Silicon Nanowire Arrays

Dog on a chip: Explosives can be detected with unprecedented sensitivity by using arrays of silicon nanowire field‐effect transistors modified with an electron‐rich aminosilane monolayer, which form complexes with the analytes (see picture). These “nanosniffers” can be used to sense the presence of TNT at concentrations as low as 1×10−6 ppt, which is superior to that of sniffer dogs or any other known explosive detection method.