CVD Grown Tungsten Oxide for Low Temperature Hydrogen Sensing: Tuning Surface Characteristics via Materials Processing for Sensing Applications.
Martin WilkenEngin CiftyürekStefan CwikLukas MaiBert MallickDetlef RogallaKlaus SchierbaumAnjana DeviPublished in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) (2022)
The intrinsic properties of semiconducting oxides having nanostructured morphology are highly appealing for gas sensing. In this study, the fabrication of nanostructured WO 3 thin films with promising surface characteristics for hydrogen (H 2 ) gas sensing applications is accomplished. This is enabled by developing a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process employing a new and volatile tungsten precursor bis(diisopropylamido)-bis(tert-butylimido)-tungsten(VI), [W(N t Bu) 2 (N i Pr 2 ) 2 ]. The as-grown nanostructured WO 3 layers are thoroughly analyzed. Particular attention is paid to stoichiometry, surface characteristics, and morphology, all of which strongly influence the gas-sensing potential of WO 3 . Synchrotron-based ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray photoelectron emission microscopy (XPEEM), low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and 4-point van der Pauw (vdP) technique made it possible to analyze the surface chemistry and structural uniformity with a spatially resolved insight into the chemical, electronic and electrical properties. The WO 3 layer is employed as a hydrogen (H 2 ) sensor within interdigitated mini-mobile sensor architecture capable of working using a standard computer's 5 V 1-wirebus connection. The sensor shows remarkable sensitivity toward H 2 . The high, robust, and repeatable sensor response (S) is attributed to the homogenous distribution of the W 5+ oxidation state and associated oxygen vacancies, as shown by synchrotron-based UPS, XPS, and XPEEM analysis.
Keyphrases
- visible light
- high resolution
- electron microscopy
- single molecule
- room temperature
- ionic liquid
- computed tomography
- working memory
- machine learning
- magnetic resonance
- nitric oxide
- dual energy
- high throughput
- carbon dioxide
- high speed
- magnetic resonance imaging
- solid state
- data analysis
- simultaneous determination
- low cost