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Formaldehyde detection using Sn doped ZnO thin film

  • Original Paper: Functional coatings, thin films and membranes (including deposition techniques)
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Abstract

This work presents an approach for formaldehyde detection using Sn doped ZnO thin film. The concentration of Sn dopant varies at 0.5at%, 1.0at% and 1.5at%. XRD results show that the thin film possessed a crystallite structure with the highest peak at 002. The crystallite size of undoped, 0.5at%, 1.0at% and 1.5at% Sn doped ZnO thin film are 10.09 nm, 33.36 nm, 8.736 nm and 9.31 nm, respectively. Surface roughness obtained from AFM was 16.9 nm, 10.19 nm, 5.48 nm and 8.57 nm for undoped 0.5at%, 1.0at% and 1.5at% Sn doped ZnO thin film, respectively. The optimal sensitivity is acquired when 1.0at% Sn doped ZnO thin film is used for the detection of 3.4 ppb formaldehyde, where the sensing performance is 92%; while the sensing performance of undoped thin film is only 50%. The response time for undoped and 1.0at% Sn doped ZnO thin film is 10-8 s and 4-10 s, while the recovery time is 38-207 s and 15-34 s, respectively. The 1.0at% Sn doped ZnO thin film also demonstrates a good response in formaldehyde sensing, which was measured for nine consecutive days, where the sensing performance was over 90%.

Highlights

  • Sn doped ZnO thin film with various concentrations (0.5 at.%, 1.0 at.% and 1.5 at.%) on an interdigitated electrode (IDE) was prepared by using the sol gel method.

  • Sn doping increased the gas sensitivity due an excess of free electrons, whereby 1.0 at.% Sn doped was the best sensor for detecting formaldehyde, with a response of up to 92%.

  • A 1.0 at.% Sn doped ZnO thin film can maintain the sensitivity for over 65% for 9 consecutive days, compared with an undoped ZnO thin film.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Microelectronic Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Pauh Putra Campus, Arau, Perlis, 02600, Malaysia

    Syafiqah Ishak, Shazlina Johari & Muhammad Mahyiddin Ramli

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  1. Syafiqah Ishak
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  2. Shazlina Johari
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  3. Muhammad Mahyiddin Ramli
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Correspondence to Shazlina Johari.

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Ishak, S., Johari, S. & Ramli, M.M. Formaldehyde detection using Sn doped ZnO thin film. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 95, 265–275 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-020-05318-8

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