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Ethanol gas sensing properties of electron beam deposited Zn-doped NiO thin films

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Abstract

The present manuscript reports ethanol sensing properties of electron beam evaporated 20 wt.% Zn metal ions substituted NiO thin films. The prepared films are subjected to XRD, FESEM, EDS, AFM and XPS characterization. The structural, morphological, elemental and chemical properties are clear evidence of the successful deposition of Zn modified NiO coatings. The substrate temperature effect and role of Zn doping on the ethanol sensing properties are systematically investigated. The sensors developed with these film materials are tested using different volatile organic compounds at room temperature as operating temperature. The sensing studies revealed that the samples have exhibited enhanced sensing properties (response = 129, fast response and recovery times (25/10 s)) for 5 ppm of ethanol testing. The enhanced number of adsorbed oxygen and oxygen vacancies induced by doping Zn ions is primarily responsible for better ethanol sensing characteristics. The plausible ethanol sensing mechanism for improved sensing activity of Zn modified NiO thin films is suggested.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Head, Department of Physics, Osmania University for providing the necessary experimental facilities to carry out this work. One of the authors (KGR) thanks the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India for providing financial assistance in the form of a National Eligibility Test- Junior Research Fellow (NET-JRF) fellowship during the research work. One of the authors (MVRR) thanks Department of Science & Technology- Science and Engineering Research Board (DST-SERB) (File No: EMR/2017/002651) for providing the necessary financial support to carry out this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, TKR College of Engineering and Technology, Meerpet, Hyderabad, 500097, Telangana, India

    K. Gangareddy

  2. Thin Films and Nanomaterials Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Osmania University, Hyderabad, 500007, Telangana, India

    M. V. Ramana Reddy

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KG: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Visualization, Data curation, Writing-Original draft preparation. MVRR: Resources, Writing-Reviewing and Editing, Supervision.

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Correspondence to K. Gangareddy.

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Gangareddy, K., Reddy, M.V.R. Ethanol gas sensing properties of electron beam deposited Zn-doped NiO thin films. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 35, 408 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-024-12135-0

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