Investigation of Ethanol Sensing Properties of a Sputtered InZnO Thin Layer Synthesized With Evaporated Gold Nanoparticles

Abstract

In this study, an interesting semiconductor metal-oxide (SMO) gas sensor composed of a sputtered InZnO (IZO) layer augmented with evaporated gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) is investigated. By incorporating Au NPs, the effective surface region and catalytic capability of the Au metal are efficiently enhanced, thereby improving the ethanol sensing performance. Additionally, relevant elemental, morphological, and structural characteristics are comprehensively analyzed. In the experiment, when exposed to 1000-ppm C2H5OH/air gas at a temperature of 250 degrees C, the fabricated sensor exhibits a robust sensing response S-R of 650 with a response time of 31 s and a recovery time of 14 s. In addition, the proposed sensor displays remarkable selectivity and 90-day durability toward ethanol gas. Notably, at 250 degrees C, a very low content of 10-ppb C2H5OH/air can be detected with a considerable S-R value of 0.85. With these advantages, the studied Au NP/IZO sensor presents a promising option for ethanol detection applications.