Abstract
Hydrothermally grown zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires network has been modified with thin Au layer (∼10nm) to realize an ethanol sensor. The sensor films detected ethanol with maximum response at an operating temperature of 325 °C. Incorporation of Au not only enhances the sensor response but also improves the reaction kinetics towards ethanol. The response and recovery times for Au modified sensor films towards 50 ppm of ethanol at 325 °C were 5 and 20 s, respectively. This faster reaction kinetics is attributed to the role of Au in improving the sensing properties as per the electronic sensitization mechanism and its nano-Schottky barriers type junction with ZnO. Nano-Schottky barrier type junction has been attributed further to an increase in resistance for Au modified ZnO. Work function measurements performed using Kelvin probe technique further corroborates the findings.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 313-318 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Sensors and Actuators, B: Chemical |
| Volume | 187 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published (in print/issue) - 30 Nov 2012 |
Funding
This work is supported by “ DAE-SRC Outstanding Research Investigator Award ” (2008/21/05-BRNS) and “ Prospective Research Funds ” (2008/38/02-BRNS) granted to D.K.A. Authors would like to thank Ms. N. Padma and Mr. P. Valliappan for their help with measurements. Niranjan S. Ramgir completed his PhD (Physics) in 2006 from National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India. After completing his Humboldt fellowship at Nanotechnology Group, University of Freiburg, Germany, he joined BARC as Scientific officer. His current research work is focused on applications of organic and inorganic semiconducting materials like polypyrrole, ZnO, WO 3 , CuO and SnO 2 based thin films and nanostructures for sensing, e-nose and photovoltaic applications. Manmeet Kaur received her PhD from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore in 1998. Her thesis work involved effect of heavy ion irradiation on high temperature superconductors. She joined BARC, Mumbai in 1999 as research associate. Her present interests include development of metal oxide thin films and nano-materials for sensing toxic gases. Preetam K. Sharma is presently working as a project trainee at Technical Physics Division, BARC. He is pursuing his masters in nanotechnology at Centre for Converging Technologies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. His research interest includes study of growth and applications of organic and inorganic nanostructures for gas sensing and e-nose applications. Niyanta Datta has completed her B.Sc. (Hons) in Physics from Delhi University and M.Sc. in Physics from IIT Roorkee in 2008. She joined BARC through in 2008 through 52nd batch of training school. Currently she is working as a scientific officer-C and her interests include study of charge transport and gas sensing properties of various nanostructures. S. Kailasaganapathi completed her B.Sc. in Physics from Manonmanium Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India in 2003. She joined BARC in 2006 as a Scientific Assistant. Her research work involves development of gas sensors based on metal-oxides. S. Bhattacharya is presently working as a scientific officer at BARC. His present interests include development of materials for thermoelectric device as well as fabrication of thermoelectric device, and analysis of microstructures using scanning electron microscope and EDS. A.K. Debnath is presently working as Scientific officer (F) at Technical Physics Division of BARC. He has extensively worked on oxide materials based gas sensor, particularly for H 2 S detection. His current research interest is to understand the charge transport and gas sensing properties of ultra thin films of organic semiconductor grown using MBE. D.K. Aswal joined BARC in 1986 through 30th Batch of Training School after completing M.Sc. (Physics) from Garhwal University and is presently Head of Thin Films Devices section. His area of scientific interest is condensed matter physics, specializing in device-oriented research leading to hybrid molecule-on-Si nanoelectronics, thermoelectric devices, and gas sensors. He is a recipient of several international fellowships including, JSPS fellowship, Japan (1997–99), IFCPAR fellowship, France (2004–05), BMBF fellowship, Germany (2006) and CEA fellowship, France (2008). He is recipient of several awards, including “MRSI Medal 2010”, “Homi Bhabha Science and Technology Award-2007”, “DAE-SRC Outstanding Research Investigator Award-2008”, and “Paraj: Excellence in Science Award, 2000”. S.K. Gupta joined BARC in 1975 and is presently Head of Technical Physics Division. Over the years, he has worked on space quality silicon solar cells, high temperature superconductor thin films and single crystals, gas sensors and thermoelectric materials. He has carried out extensive studies on vortex dynamics in superconductors. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, India.
Keywords
- Au
- Ethanol
- Gas sensors
- Hydrothermal growth
- Nanowires
- Work function
- Zno
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