Abstract
We demonstrate that the soft e-beam lithography (soft-eBL) fabricated polycrystalline ZnO nanolines show reproducible response to ppm-level H2 and NO2 even at room temperature, due to the intrinsic Joule heating effect in such nanodevices. The Joule heating effect is confirmed by studying the resistance-temperature relationship of the sensor as well as the persistent photoconductivity phenomena in ZnO. We note that Joule heating increases the nanoline temperature to around 72 °C, which enhances the oxidation-reduction reaction at the ZnO surface. Therefore, the nanolines show faster photoresponse than the thin film. These results may help tailor and optimize gas sensor devices for improved performance.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 159-163 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Sensors and Actuators, B: Chemical |
Volume | 144 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 29 2010 |
Funding
The author would like to thank Prof. T. Mason at Northwestern University for the helpful discussion and suggestion. This research work was primarily supported by US-DOE Award Number DE-FG02-07ER46444 . The sensor experimental set-up and software/hardware development was initially supported by NSF-NSEC Award Number EEC-0647560 . The research was performed in the EPIC facility of NUANCE Center at Northwestern University. NUANCE Center is supported by NSF-NSEC, NSF-MRSEC, Keck Foundation, the State of Illinois, and Northwestern University.
Keywords
- Gas sensor
- Room temperature gas sensing
- UV light
- ZnO
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Instrumentation
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Surfaces, Coatings and Films
- Metals and Alloys
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Materials Chemistry