Indium Tin Oxide thin film gas sensors for detection of ethanol vapours

• Published in: Thin solid films 2005-10, Vol.490 (1), p.94-100
• Main Authors: Vaishnav, V.S., Patel, P.D., Patel, N.G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Ethanol; Exact sciences and technology; General equipment and techniques; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; ITO; Physics; Semiconductor gas sensor; Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film vapour sensor; VOC
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2005.04.006

Indium Tin Oxide (ITO: In 2O 3 + 17% SnO 2) thin films grown on alumina substrate at 648 K temperatures using direct evaporation method with two gold pads deposited on the top for electrical contacts were exposed to ethanol vapours (200–2500 ppm). The operating temperature of the sensor was optimized. The sensitivity variation of films having different thickness was studied. The sensitivity of the films deposited on Si substrates was studied. The response of the film with MgO catalytic layer on sensitivity and selectivity was observed. A novel approach of depositing thin stimulating layer of various metals/oxides below the ITO film was tried and tested.