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Enhanced room-temperature ammonia vapor-sensing activity of nebulizer spray pyrolysis fabricated SnO2 thin films: an effect of Er doping

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Abstract

In this work, we have coated 0, 1, 3, and 5 wt% of Erbium (Er)-doped tin oxide (SnO2) films on glass using a simple nebulizer spray pyrolysis method to make an ammonia vapor sensor with remarkable sensitivity. X-ray diffraction, Atomic force microscopy, Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence methods were employed to inspect the thin-film samples. Room-temperature ammonia vapor sensing was performed by a computer connected to the homemade gas-sensing system. The results obtained show that Er doping in SnO2 films gradually decreased the crystallite size with an increase of the surface area improving the sensing property of the vapor. A minimum optical band gap (i.e., 3.23 eV) is achieved for 5 wt% Er-doped film. The fabricated Er-doped SnO2 gas sensor showed response/recovery time highly dependent on dopant concentration. The Er concentration of 5 wt% doped SnO2 thin film showed maximum sensitivity of 91%, fast response, and recovery time of 29 and 7 s, respectively, due to high surface to volume ratio.

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Acknowledgments

The authors extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University for funding this research through the Fast-track Research Funding Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Caussanel College of Arts and Science, Muthupettai, India

    S. Maheswari

  2. PG and Research Department of Physics, Alagappa Govt Arts College, Karaikudi, 630003, India

    S. Maheswari, M. Karunakaran & K. Kasirajan

  3. Department of Physics, Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, Dundigal, Hyderabad, 500043, India

    K. Hariprasad

  4. Department of Physics, Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science & Technology, Vallam, India

    L. Bruno Chandrasekar

  5. Department of Physics, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia

    T. Alshahrani

  6. Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia

    Mohd. Shkir

  7. Advanced Functional Materials and Optoelectronic Laboratory (AFMOL), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia

    Mohd. Shkir & S. AIFaify

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  1. S. Maheswari
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  2. M. Karunakaran
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Maheswari, S., Karunakaran, M., Hariprasad, K. et al. Enhanced room-temperature ammonia vapor-sensing activity of nebulizer spray pyrolysis fabricated SnO2 thin films: an effect of Er doping. Journal of Materials Research 36, 657–667 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43578-020-00033-0

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