ABSTRACT
The ability of a device to perform as fast as possible is an essential criterion in addition to its flexibility and portable nature. However, with the recent advancement in electronics, the need for more personalized devices will be the niche market. Human devices that can readily detect changes in pressure, temperature, and different sensors on a nanoscale can bridge the gap in lots of applications. And this is where the phenomenal effect observed from piezotronics and piezo-photronics plays a huge role. These effects are observed through the various coupling of piezoelectricity, semiconductor, and photoexcitation. Their occurrence at a heterojunction involves the polarization of charges that have a change in their surface band structure and charge carrier transport. They have been studied by an external strain and more recently under light, pressure, temperature, and other factors. Scientists have widely observed the piezotronics effects in semiconductor nanowires for different uses. Examples of these wurtzite structures are ZnO, GaN, and ZnS, with ZnO as the most explored for piezotronics. In this chapter, the basic mechanisms involved in piezotronics and piezo-phototronics are discussed, along with the methods for the synthesis of nanowires. Additionally, diverse applications of nanowires are highlighted.
