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Influence of Nb2O5 doping on ZnO thick film gas sensors

A. V. PATIL1,* , C. G. DIGHAVKAR1, S. K. SONAWANE1, S. J. PATIL2, R. Y. BORSE2

Affiliation

  1. L.V.H. College, Panchavati, Nashik 422003, Maharashtra, India.Ph. +919890158204
  2. Thin and Thick film Laboratory, Dept. of Electronics, M.S.G.College, Malegaon Camp 423105, Dist. Nashik, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Thick films of pure and Nb2O5 doped ZnO for various concentrations (1 wt. %, 3 wt. %, 5 wt. %, 7 wt. % and 10 wt. %) were prepared on alumina substrates using a screen printing technique. These films were fired at a temperature of 700ºC for two hours in an air atmosphere. Morphological, compositional and structural properties of the samples were obtained using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction techniques respectively. The Ethanol gas sensing studies were carried out in a static gas sensing system under normal laboratory conditions. The surface resistance of thick films decreases when exposed to ethanol gas. The Nb2O5 doped films show significant sensitivity to Ethanol gas than pure ZnO film . 3 wt. % Nb2O5-doped ZnO film was found to be more sensitive (84%) to ethanol gas exposed at 300o C than other doping concentrations with fast response and recovery time..

Keywords

ZnO; Nb2O5; thick films; Screen printing; Ethanol.

Submitted at: Dec. 12, 2009
Accepted at: June 16, 2010

Citation

A. V. PATIL, C. G. DIGHAVKAR, S. K. SONAWANE, S. J. PATIL, R. Y. BORSE, Influence of Nb2O5 doping on ZnO thick film gas sensors, Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials Vol. 12, Iss. 6, pp. 1255-1261 (2010)