Research Article

Thermal, optical and gas sensing properties of ZnO films prepared by different techniques

¹ PG department of Physics, Kanya Maha Vidyalaya, Jalandhar 144004, India
² Research Scholar, IKG Punjab Technical University, Kapurthala 144601, India
³ Lyallpur Khalsa College of Engineering, Jalandhar 144001, India

^* e-mail: sonikbhatiaphysics@gmail.com

Received: 30 July 2017
Received in final form: 21 November 2017
Accepted: 8 December 2017
Published online: 13 March 2018

Abstract

Nowadays, for environmental protection, the use of portable gas sensor is essential to detect toxic gases. To control this problem of hazardous gases, metal oxide based sensors plays a vital role. In this recent study, Indium (2 at.wt.%) doped ZnO films has been prepared by sol gel spin coating and thermal evaporation techniques on glass substrates. To enhance the sensing properties, indium (In) was used as dopant and their annealing effect of temperature was observed. Thermal properties have shown the fruitful result that prepared films are useful for the fabrication of solar cell. Electrical properties revealed that capacitance and dielectric constant decreases with increase in frequency. X-ray Diffraction showed hexagonal wurtzite structure highly oriented along (1 0 1) plane. Field emission scanning electron microscope of these synthesis films prepared by different have shown the morphology as nanospheres having size of the order of 40–60 nm. 2.0 at.% of indium as modifier resulted in highest response and selectivity towards 5 ppm of NO₂ gas at different operating temperature (50–200 °C). Highest sensitivity was obtained at operating temperature of 150 °C. Prepared films have quick response and recovery time in the range of 14–27 s and 67–63 s. The highest response and recovery time of gas sensor was explained by valence ion mechanism.