Stability and protection of nanowire devices in air

Nanowire devices have attracted considerable attention because of their unique structure and novel properties, and have opened up significant development opportunities. However, not many studies have focused on their stability and durability under practical conditions, which limits the rapid development of real applications. Herein, we systematically investigate three different treatments, polymer coating, inert atmosphere protection, and thickness-induced self-protection, to protect the tellurium nanowire devices from oxidation when exposed to open air. The degree of oxidation was monitored by examining changes in the valence states of tellurium element and in the morphology of the nanowires. After the protective treatments, the tellurium nanowire devices showed improved stability and remained stable even after 800 days of storage. This work highlights the importance of investigating the stability of nanowire devices, especially for their practical applications.