• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.477-482
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• 2013

We investigated the detection properties of nitrogen monoxide (NO) gas using transparent p-type $CuAlO_2$ thin film gas sensors. The $CuAlO_2$ film was fabricated on an indium tin oxide (ITO)/glass substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), and then the transparent p-type $CuAlO_2$ active layer was formed by annealing. Structural and optical characterizations revealed that the transparent p-type $CuAlO_2$ layer with a thickness of around 200 nm had a non-crystalline structure, showing a quite flat surface and a high transparency above 65 % in the range of visible light. From the NO gas sensing measurements, it was found that the transparent p-type $CuAlO_2$ thin film gas sensors exhibited the maximum sensitivity to NO gas in dry air at an operating temperature of $180^{\circ}C$. We also found that these $CuAlO_2$ thin film gas sensors showed reversible and reliable electrical resistance-response to NO gas in the operating temperature range. These results indicate that the transparent p-type semiconductor $CuAlO_2$ thin films are very promising for application as sensing materials for gas sensors, in particular, various types of transparent p-n junction gas sensors. Also, these transparent p-type semiconductor $CuAlO_2$ thin films could be combined with an n-type oxide semiconductor to fabricate p-n heterojunction oxide semiconductor gas sensors.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.98-103
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• 2001

Metallic tin powder with diameter less than 50 nm was synthesized by inert gas condensation method and subsequently oxidized to tin oxide ($SnO_2$) along the two heat-treatment routes. The $SnO_2$ powder of single phase with a tetragonal structure was obtained by the heat-treatment route with intermediate annealing step-wise oxidation, whereas the $SnO_2$ powder with mixture of orthorhombic and tetragonal phases was obtained by the heat-treatment route without intermediate annealing (direct oxidation). $SnO_2$ gas sensors fabricated from the nano-phase $SnO_2$ powders were investigated by structural observations as well as measurement of electrical resistance. The $SnO_2$ gas sensors fabricated from the mixed-phase powder exhibited much lower sensitivity against $H_2$ gas than those fabricated from the powder of tetragonal phase. Reduced sensitivity of gas sensors with the new orthorhombic phase was attributed to detrimental effects of phase boundaries between orthorhombic and tetragonal phases and many twin boundaries on the charge mobility.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.152-158
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• 2014

We report the effect of the fabric of the surface microstructure on the CO gas sensing properties of $SnO_2$ thin films deposited on self-assembled Au nanodots ($SnO_2$/Au) that were formed on $SiO_2/Si$ substrates. We characterized structural and morphological properties, comparing them to those of $SnO_2$ thin films deposited directly onto $SiO_2/Si$ substrates. We observed a significant enhancement of CO gas sensing properties in the $SnO_2$/Au gas sensors, specifically exhibiting a high maximum response at $200^{\circ}C$ and quite a low detection limit of 1 ppm level in dry air. In particular, the response of the $SnO_2/Au$ gas sensor was found to reach the maximum value of 32.5 at $200^{\circ}C$, which is roughly 27 times higher than the response (~1.2) of the $SnO_2$ gas sensor obtained at the same operating temperature of $200^{\circ}C$. Furthermore, the $SnO_2/Au$ gas sensors displayed very fast response and recovery behaviors. The observed enhancement in the CO gas sensing properties of the $SnO_2/Au$ sensors is mainly ascribed to the formation of a nanostructured morphology in the active $SnO_2$ layer having a high specific surface-reaction area by the insertion of a nanodot form of Au nucleation layer.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.455-460
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• 2022

Brush-like ZnO hierarchical nanostructures decorated with MgxZn1-xO (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5) were fabricated and examined for application to a gas sensor. They were synthesized using vapor phase growth (VPG) on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates. To generate electronic accumulation at ZnO surface, MgZnO nanoparticles were prepared by sol-gel method, and the ratio of Mg and Zn was adjusted to optimize the device for NO₂ gas detection. As the electrons in the accumulation layer generated by the heterojunction reacted faster and more frequently with the gas, the sensitivity and speed improved. When tested as sensing materials for gas sensors at 100 ppm NO₂ at 300℃, these MgZnO decorated ZnO nanostructures exhibited an improvement from 165 to 514 times compared to pristine ZnO. The response and recovery time of the MgZnO decorated ZnO samples were shorter than those of the pristine ZnO. Various analyzing techniques, including field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) were employed to confirm the growth morphology, atomic composition, and crystalline information of the samples, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.451-457
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• 2014

We developed a high-performance methane gas sensor based on a $SnO_2$ hollow hemisphere array structure of nano-thickness. The sensor structures were fabricated by sputter deposition of Sn metal over an array of polystyrene spheres distributed on a planar substrate, followed by an oxidation process to oxidize the Sn to $SnO_2$ while removing the polystyrene template cores. The surface morphology and structural properties were examined by scanning electron microscopy. An optimization of the structure for methane sensing was also carried out. The effects of oxidation temperature, film thickness, gold doping, and morphology were examined. An impressive response of ~220% was observed for a 200 ppm concentration of $CH_4$ gas at an operating temperature of $400^{\circ}C$ for a sample fabricated by 30 sec sputtering of Sn, and oxidation at $800^{\circ}C$ for 2 hr in air. This high response was enabled by the open structure of the hemisphere array thin films.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2003.07b
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• pp.942-945
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• 2003

Nerve gas sensor based on tin oxide was fabricated and its characteristics were examined. Target gas was dimethylmethylphosphonate($C_3H_9O_3P$, DMMP) that is simulant gas of nerve gas. Sensing material was $SnO_2$ added ${\alpha}-Al_2O_3$ with $4{\sim}20wt.%$ and was physically mixed. And then it was deposited by screen printing method on alumina substrate. Sensor device was consisted of sensing electrode with interdigit(IDT) type in front and heater in back side. Total size of device was $7{\times}10{\times}0.6mm^3$. Crystallite size of fabricated $SnO_2$ were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD, Rigaku) and morphology of the $SnO_2$ powders was observed by a scanning electron microscope(SEM, Hitachi). Fabricated sensor was measured as flow type and sensor resistance change was monitored real time using LabVIEW program. The best conditions as added $Al_2O_3$ amounts and operating temperature changes were 4wt.% and $300^{\circ}C$ in DMMP 0.5ppm, respectively. The sensitivity was over 75%. Response and recovery times were about 1 and 3 min., respectively. Repetition measurement was very good with ${\pm}3%$ in full scale.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.72-77
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• 2009

Three different procedures for adding Pd compounds to $SnO_2$ particles have been investigated. These processes are: (1) coprecipitation; (2) dried powder impregnation; and (3) calcined powder impregnation. The microstructures of $SnO_2$ particles have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In the coprecipitaion method, the process does not restrain the growth of $SnO_2$ particles and it forms huge agglomerates. In the dried powder impregnation method, the process restrains the growth of $SnO_2$ particles and the surfaces of the agglomerates have many minute pores. In the calcined powder impregnation method, the process restrains the growth of $SnO_2$ particles further and the agglomerates have a lot more minute pores. The sensitivity ($S=R_{air}/R_{gas}$) of the $SnO_2$ gas sensor made by the calcined powder impregnation process shows the highest value (S = 21.5 at 5350 ppm of $C_3H_8$) and the sensor also indicates the lowest operating temperature of around $410^{\circ}C$. It is believed that the best result is caused by the plenty of minute pores at the surface of the microstructure and by the catalyst Pd that is dispersed at the surface rather than the inside of the agglomerate. Schematic models of Pd distribution in and on the three different $SnO_2$ particles are presented.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.16 no.12S
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• pp.1217-1223
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• 2003

Nerve gas sensor based on tin oxide was fabricated and its characteristics were examined. Target gas is dimethyl methyl phosphonate(C$_3$ $H_{9}$ $O_3$P, DMMP) that is simulant gas of nerve gas. Sensing materials were Sn $O_2$ added a-Al$_2$ $O_3$ with 0∼20wt.% and were physically mixed each material. They were deposited by screen printing method on alumina substrate. The sensor device was consisted of sensing electrode with interdigit(IDT) type in front and a heater in back side. Total size of device was 7${\times}$10${\times}$0.6㎣. Crystallite size & phase identification and morphology of fabricated Sn $O_2$ powders were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and by a scanning electron microscope, respectively. Fabricated sensor was measured as flow type and resistance change of sensing material was monitored as real time using LabVIEW program. The best sensitivity was 75% at adding 4wt.% $\alpha$-Al$_2$ $O_3$, operating temperature 30$0^{\circ}C$ to DMMP 0.5ppm. Response and recovery time were about 1 and 3min., respectively. Repetition measurement was very good with $\pm$3％ in full scale.TEX>$\pm$3％ in full scale.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.81-86
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• 2019

Metal oxide/graphene composites have been known as promising functional materials for advanced applications such as high sensitivity gas sensor, and high capacitive secondary battery. In this study, tin dioxide ($SnO_2$) nanostructures were grown on chemically synthesized graphene nanosheets using a two-zone horizontal furnace system. The large area graphene nanosheets were synthesized on Cu foil by thermal chemical vapor deposition system with the methane and hydrogen gas. Chemically synthesized graphene nanosheets were transferred on cleaned $SiO_2$(300 nm)/Si substrate using the PMMA. The $SnO_2$ nanostuctures were grown on graphene nanosheets at $424^{\circ}C$ under 3.1 Torr for 3 hours. Raman spectroscopy was used to estimate the quality of as-synthesized graphene nanosheets and to confirm the phase of as-grown $SnO_2$ nanostructures. The surface morphology of as-grown $SnO_2$ nanostructures on graphene nanosheets was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). As the results, the synthesized graphene nanosheets are bi-layers graphene nanosheets, and as-grown tin oxide nanostructures exhibit tin dioxide phase. The morphology of $SnO_2$ nanostructures on graphene nanosheets exhibits complex nanostructures, whereas the surface morphology of $SnO_2$ nanostructures on $SiO_2$(300 nm)/Si substrate exhibits simply nano-dots. The complex nanostructures of $SnO_2$ on graphene nanosheets are attributed to functional groups on graphene surface.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.2 s.17
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• pp.81-87
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• 2004

Semiconductor thick film gas sensors based on tin oxide are fabricated and their gas response characteristics are examined for four simulant gases of chemical warfare agent (CWA)s. The sensing materials are prepared in three different sets. 1) The Pt or Pd $(1,\;2,\;3\;wt.\%)$ as catalyst is impregnated in the base material of $SnO_2$ by impregnation method.2) $Al_2O_3\;(0,\;4,\;12,\;20\;wt.\%),\;In_2O_3\;(1,\;2,\;3\;wt.\%),\;WO_3\;(1,\;2,\;3\;wt.\%),\;TiO_2\;(3,\;5,\;10\;wt.\%)$ or $SiO_2\;(3,\;5,\;10\;wt.\%)$ is added to $SnO_2$ by physical ball milling process. 3) ZnO $(1,\;2,\;3,\;4,\;5\;wt.\%)$ or $ZrO_2\;(1,\;3,\;5\;wt.\%)$ is added to $SnO_2$ by co-precipitation method. Surface morphology, particle size, and specific surface area of fabricated sensing films are performed by the SEM, XRD and BET respectively. Response characteristics are examined for simulant gases with temperature in the range 200 to $400^{\circ}C$, with different gas concentrations. These sensors have high sensitivities more than $50\%$ at 500ppb concentration for test gases and also have shown good repetition tests. Four sensing materials are selected with good sensitivity and stability and are fabricated as a sensor array A sensor array Identities among the four simulant gases through the principal component analysis (PCA). High sensitivity is acquired by using the semiconductor thick film gas sensors and four CWA gases are classified by using a sensor array through PCA.