• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.235-240
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• 2010

We investigated the carbon monoxide (CO) gas-sensing properties of nanostructured Al-doped zinc oxide thin films deposited on self-assembled Au nanodots (ZnO/Au thin films). The Al-doped ZnO thin film was deposited onto the structure by rf sputtering, resulting in a gas-sensing element comprising a ZnO-based active layer with an embedded Pt/Ti electrode covered by the self-assembled Au nanodots. Prior to the growth of the active ZnO layer, the Au nanodots were formed via annealing a thin Au layer with a thickness of 2 nm at a moderate temperature of $500^{\circ}C$. It was found that the ZnO/Au nanostructured thin film gas sensors showed a high maximum sensitivity to CO gas at $250^{\circ}C$ and a low CO detection limit of 5 ppm in dry air. Furthermore, the ZnO/Au thin film CO gas sensors exhibited fast response and recovery behaviors. The observed excellent CO gas-sensing properties of the nanostructured ZnO/Au thin films can be ascribed to the Au nanodots, acting as both a nucleation layer for the formation of the ZnO nanostructure and a catalyst in the CO surface reaction. These results suggest that the ZnO thin films deposited on self-assembled Au nanodots are promising for practical high-performance CO gas sensors.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.156-161
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• 2020

In this study, hierarchical mesoporous CuO spheres, ZnO flowers, and heterojunction CuO/ZnO nanostructures were fabricated via a facile hydrothermal method. The as-prepared materials were characterized in detail using various analytical methods such as powder X-ray diffraction, micro Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The obtained results are consistent with each other. The H₂S-sensing characteristics of the sensors fabricated based on the CuO spheres, ZnO flowers, and CuO/ZnO heterojunction were investigated at different temperatures and gas concentrations. The sensor based on ZnO flowers showed a maximum response of ~141 at 225 ℃. The sensor based on CuO spheres exhibited a maximum response of 218 at 175 ℃, whereas the sensor based on the CuO/ZnO nano-heterostructure composite showed a maximum response of 344 at 150 ℃. The detection limit (DL) of the sensor based on the CuO/ZnO heterojunction was ~120 ppb at 150 ℃. The CuO/ZnO sensor showed the maximum response to H₂S compared with other interfering gases such as ethanol, methanol, and CO, indicating its high selectivity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Ceranic Society Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.155.2-155
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• 2000

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.237-242
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• 2012

We report on the NO gas sensing properties of Al-doped zinc oxide-carbon nanotube (ZnO-CNT) wire-like layered composites fabricated by coaxially coating Al-doped ZnO thin films on randomly oriented single-walled carbon nanotubes. We were able to wrap thin ZnO layers around the CNTs using the pulsed laser deposition method, forming wire-like nanostructures of ZnO-CNT. Microstructural observations revealed an ultrathin wire-like structure with a diameter of several tens of nm. Gas sensors based on ZnO-CNT wire-like layered composites were found to exhibit a novel sensing capability that originated from the genuine characteristics of the composites. Specifically, it was observed by measured gas sensing characteristics that the gas sensors based on ZnO-CNT layered composites showed a very high sensitivity of above 1,500% for NO gas in dry air at an optimal operating temperature of $200^{\circ}C$; the sensors also showed a low NO gas detection limit at a sub-ppm level in dry air. The enhanced gas sensing properties of the ZnO-CNT wire-like layered composites are ascribed to a catalytic effect of Al elements on the surface reaction and an increase in the effective surface reaction area of the active ZnO layer due to the coating of CNT templates with a higher surface-to-volume ratio structure. These results suggest that ZnO-CNT composites made of ultrathin Al-doped ZnO layers uniformly coated around carbon nanotubes can be promising materials for use in practical high-performance NO gas sensors.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.378-379
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• 2012

ITO 만큼 높은 전도성과 광학적 투과성을 갖는 Al-doped ZnO (AZO) 박막을 DC-Pulse magnetron sputtering을 이용하여 40 nm 두께로 증착 후 리소그라피 공정을 통해 $30{\mu}m$ 간격으로 패터닝 하였다. 간격 30 ${\mu}m$로 배열된 AZO를 촉매층으로 하는 수열합성법을 리사이클 공정을 반복하여 수행하여 ZnO 나노선을 성장시켰다. 이와 같이 AZO 전극 사이에 길이 $30{\mu}m$의 ZnO 나노선이 래터럴 구조로 연결된 소자의 $NH_3$ 가스감지 특성을 조사하였다. 합성된 나노선의 전기적, 광학적, 구조적인 특성을 분석하여 높은 가스 감지도를 예상할 수 있는 특성을 확인하였다. 제작된 가스센서를 진공 챔버에 설치 후 양 전극간에 동작전압(Operating voltage)을 1 V로 인가하여 고정한 후에 $NH_3$를 주입(Injection)과 퍼지(Purge)를 반복하며 그 주입량(10 ppm, 20 ppm, 40 ppm, 60 ppm)에 변화를 주었고, 그에 따른 전류변화를 관찰하여 $NH_3$ 가스감지특성을 평가하였다.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 1995

Highly sensitive and mechanically stable gas sensors have been fabricated using the microfabrication and micromaching techniques. The sensing material used to detect the offensive trimethylarnine ((CH$_{3}$)$_{3}$N) gas is 6 wt% $Al_{2}$O$_{3}$-doped, 1000.angs.-thick ZnO deposited by r. f. magnetron sputtering. The optimum operating temperature of the sensor is 350.deg.C and the corresponding heater power is about 85mW. Excellent thermal insulation is achieved by the use of a double-layer structure of 0.2.mu.m -thick silicon nitride and 1.4.mu.m-thick phosphosilicate glass(PSG) prepared by low pressure chemical vapor deposition(LPCVD) and atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition(APCVD), respectively. The sensors are mechanically stable enough to endure at least 43, 200 heat cycles between room temperature and 350.deg. C.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.655-659
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• 2008

The NO gas sensing properties of ZnO-carbon nanotube (ZnO-CNT) composites fabricated by the coaxial coating of single-walled CNTs with ZnO were investigated using pulsed laser deposition. Upon examination, the morphology and crystallinity of the ZnO-CNT composites showed that CNTs were uniformly coated with polycrystalline ZnO with a grain size as small as 5-10 nm. Gas sensing measurements clearly indicated a remarkable enhancement of the sensitivity of ZnO-CNT composites for NO gas compared to that of ZnO films while maintaining the strong sensing stability of the composites, properties that CNT-based sensing materials do not have. The enhanced gas sensing properties of the ZnO-CNT composites are attributed to an increase in the surface adsorption area of the ZnO layer via the coating by CNTs of a high surface-to-volume ratio structure. These results suggest that the ZnO-CNT composite is a promising template for novel solid-state semiconducting gas sensors.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.441-445
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• 2013

ZnO nanowires on the a-, c- and m-plane oriented 4H-SiC substrates were grown by using a high temperature tube furnace. Ti/Au electrodes were deposited on ZnO nanowires and a-, c- and m-plane 4H-SiC substrates, respectively. The shape and density of the ZnO nanowires were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope. It was found that the growth direction of nanowires depends strongly on growth parameters such as growth temperature and pressure. In this work, The sensitivity of nanowires formed a-, c- and m-plane oriented 4H-SiC gas sensor was measured at $300^{\circ}C$ with CO gas concentration of 80%. The nanowires grown on a-plane oriented 4H-SiC show improved sensing performance than those on c- and m-plane oriented 4H-SiC due to the increased density of nanowire on a-plane 4H-SiC.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.315-322
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• 2002

A thin film oxide semiconductor micro gas sensor array which shows only 60㎽ of power consumption at an operating temperature of 30$0^{\circ}C$ has been fabricated using microfabrication and rnicrornachining techniques. Excellent thermal insulation of the membrane is achieved by the use of a double la! or structure of 0.1${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ thick Si$_3$N$_4$ and 1${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ thick phosphosilicate glass(PSG) prepared by low pressure chemical vapor deposition(LPCVD) and atmospheric－pressure chemical-vapor deposition(APCVD), respectively. The sensor way consists of such thin film oxide semiconductor sensing materials as 1wt.％ Pd-doped SnO$_2$, 6wt.% AI$_2$O$_3$-doped ZnO, WO$_3$ and ZnO. The thin film oxide semiconductor micro gas sensor array exhibited resistance changes usable for subsequent data processing upon exposure to various gases and the sensitivity strongly depended on the sensing layer materials. Heater Part of the sensor structure has been modified in order to improve the process yield of the sensor, and as a result of modified heater structure improved process yield has been achieved.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.631-636
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• 2009

We investigated the NO gas sensing characteristics of ZnO-carbon nanotube (ZnO-CNT) layered composites fabricated by coaxial coating of single-walled CNTs with a thin layer of 1 wt% Al-doped ZnO using rf magnetron sputtering deposition. Morphological studies clearly revealed that the ZnO appeared to form beadshaped crystalline nanoparticles with an average diameter as small as 30 nm, attaching to the surface of the nanotubes. It was found that the NO gas sensing properties of the ZnO-CNT layered composites were dramatically improved over Al-doped ZnO thin films. It is reasoned from these observations that an increase in the surface-to-volume ratio associated with the numerous ZnO “nanobeads” on the surface of the CNTs results in the enhancement of the NO gas sensing properties. The ZnO-CNT layered composite sensors exhibited a maximum sensitivity of 13.7 to 2 ppm NO gas at a temperature of 200${^{\circ}C}$ and a low NO gas detection limit of 0.2 ppm in dry air.