US Patent 7718995 - Particle coated nanowire

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7718995.html

In order to enhance the surface area and sensitivity of nanowire-based sensors this patent from Panasonic teaches techniques to form semiconductor nanoparticles on the surface of a semiconductor nanowire. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanowire comprising:

a nanowire body made of a crystalline semiconductor as a first material; and

a plurality of fine particles, which are made of a second material, including a constituent element of the semiconductor, and which are located on at least portions of the surface of the nanowire body, wherein the surface of the nanowire body is smooth.