Fabrication and Characterization of Gas Sensor from ZrO2: MgO Nanostructure Thin Films by R.F. Magnetron Sputtering Technique

Abstract

Thin films ZrO₂: MgO nanostructure have been synthesized by a radio frequency magnetron plasma sputtering technique at different ratios of MgO (0,6, 8 and  10)% percentage to be used as the gas sensor for nitrogen dioxide NO₂. The samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and sensing properties were also investigated. The average particle size of all prepared samples was found lower than 33.22nm and the structure was a monoclinic phase. The distribution of grain size was found lower than36.3 nm and uninformed particles on the surface. Finally, the data of sensing properties have been discussed, where they indicated that sensitivity reached 42.566% at 300 ^oC, spectral response time less than 52.2 s and recovery time 135.9 s.