Revealing Interface-Assisted Charge-Transfer Mechanisms by Using Silicon Nanowires as Local Probes.

A semiconductor/environment interface has been formed in which suspended silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are in direct contact with photoactive TiO2 quantum dots. The photoactivity of TiO2 competes with the intrinsic photoresponses of p‐type silicon nanowires. Rational control of the competitive mechanism realizes remarkable mirror‐imaging photo‐switching and superior rectifying effects in a single SiNW‐based device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]