Modulation of electron tunneling in a nanoparticle array by sound waves: an avenue to high-speed, high-sensitivity sensors.

Using an electrostatic self-assembly process, metal nanoparticles are deposited on polyelectrolyte fibers such that the interparticle distance between the nanoparticles is comparable to the polyelectrolyte's molecular width. By modulating the dielectric properties of the interparticle polymer layer, a highly sensitive, reversible humidity sensor with an ultrafast response time of ≈3 ms is demonstrated. The higher sensitivity at low humidity shows a conductivity increase by over two orders of magnitude in response to a change in relative humidity from 21 to 1%.