Nowadays, it is still technologically challenging to prepare highly sensitive sensing films using microelectrical mechanical system (MEMS) compatible methods for miniaturized sensors with low power consumption and high yield. Here, sensitive cross-linked SnO2:NiO networks were successfully fabricated by sputtering SnO2:NiO target onto the etched self-assembled triangle polystyrene (PS) microsphere arrays and then ultrasonically removing the PS microsphere templates in acetone. The optimum line width (~ 600 nm) and film thickness (~ 50 nm) of SnO2:NiO networks were obtained by varying the plasma etching time and the sputtering time. Then, thermal annealing at 500 °C in H2 was implemented to activate and reorganize the as-deposited amorphous SnO2:NiO thin films. Compared with continuous SnO2:NiO thin film counterparts, these cross-linked films show the highest response of ~ 9 to 50 ppm ethanol, low detection limits (< 5 ppm) at 300 °C, and also high selectivity against NO2, SO2, NH3, C7H8, and acetone. The gas-sensing enhancement could be mainly attributed to the creating of more active adsorption sites by increased stepped surface in cross-linked SnO2:NiO network. Furthermore, this method is MEMS compatible and of generality to effectively fabricate other cross-linked sensing films, showing the promising potency in the production of low energy consumption and wafer-scale MEMS gas sensors.
CITATION STYLE
Tong, W., Wang, Y., Bian, Y., Wang, A., Han, N., & Chen, Y. (2020). Sensitive Cross-Linked SnO2:NiO Networks for MEMS Compatible Ethanol Gas Sensors. Nanoscale Research Letters, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-020-3269-3
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