Highly sensitive p + n metal oxide sensor array for low-concentration gas detection

Abstract

Nowadays, despite the easy fabrication and low cost of metal oxide gas sensors, it is still challenging for them to detect gases at low concentrations. In this study, resistance-matched p-type Cu2O and n-type Ga-doped ZnO, as well as p-type CdO/LaFeO3 and n-type CdO/Sn-doped ZnO sensors were prepared and integrated into p + n sensor arrays to enhance their gas-sensing performance. The materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmittance electron microscopy, and X-ray diffractometry, and gas-sensing properties were measured using ethanol and acetone as probes. The results showed that compared with individual gas sensors, the response of the sensor array was greatly enhanced and similar to the gas response product of the p- and n-type gas sensors. Specifically, the highly sensitive CdO/LaFeO3 and CdO/Sn-ZnO sensor array had a high response of 21 to 1 ppm ethanol and 14 to 1 ppm acetone, with detection limits of <0.1 ppm. The results show the effect of sensor array integration by matching the two sensor resistances, facilitating the detection of gas at a low concentration.