Nowadays, it is still technologically challenging to prepare highly sensitive sensing films using microelectrical mechanical system (MEMS) compatible methods for miniaturized sensors with low power consumption and high yield. Here, sensitive cross-linked SnO2:NiO networks were successfully fabricated by sputtering SnO2:NiO target onto the etched self-assembled triangle polystyrene (PS) microsphere arrays and then ultrasonically removing the PS microsphere templates in acetone. The optimum line width (~ 600 nm) and film thickness (~ 50 nm) of SnO2:NiO networks were obtained by varying the plasma etching time and the sputtering time. Then, thermal annealing at 500 °C in H2 was implemented to activate and reorganize the as-deposited amorphous SnO2:NiO thin films. Compared with continuous SnO2:NiO thin film counterparts, these cross-linked films show the highest response of ~ 9 to 50 ppm ethanol, low detection limits (< 5 ppm) at 300 °C, and also high selectivity against NO2, SO2, NH3, C7H8, and acetone. The gas-sensing enhancement could be mainly attributed to the creating of more active adsorption sites by increased stepped surface in cross-linked SnO2:NiO network. Furthermore, this method is MEMS compatible and of generality to effectively fabricate other cross-linked sensing films, showing the promising potency in the production of low energy consumption and wafer-scale MEMS gas sensors.

中文翻译：

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用于 MEMS 兼容乙醇气体传感器的灵敏交联 SnO2:NiO 网络。


如今，使用微机电系统（MEMS）兼容方法制备高灵敏度传感薄膜以实现低功耗、高产量的小型传感器仍然具有技术挑战性。在这里，通过将 SnO2:NiO 靶材溅射到蚀刻的自组装三角聚苯乙烯 (PS) 微球阵列上，然后在丙酮中超声去除 PS 微球模板，成功地制备了敏感的交联 SnO2:NiO 网络。通过改变等离子体蚀刻时间和溅射时间，获得了 SnO2:NiO 网络的最佳线宽（~ 600 nm）和薄膜厚度（~ 50 nm）。然后，在氢气中进行 500 °C 的热退火，以激活和重组沉积态非晶 SnO2:NiO 薄膜。与连续 SnO2:NiO 薄膜对应物相比，这些交联薄膜对约 9 至 50 ppm 乙醇表现出最高响应，在 300 °C 时检测限较低 (< 5 ppm)，并且对 NO2、SO2、 NH3、C7H8 和丙酮。气敏增强主要归因于交联 SnO2:NiO 网络中台阶表面的增加产生了更活跃的吸附位点。此外，该方法与MEMS兼容并且具有通用性，可以有效地制造其他交联传感薄膜，显示出在生产低能耗和晶圆级MEMS气体传感器方面的良好潜力。