Investigation of Sensory Properties of Nanostructure Tin Oxide Layers Deposited by Thermal Evaporation and Sputtering Methods Compared to Ethanol

In this paper, manufacturing and evaluation of ethanol gas sensors based on thin films of nanostructure tin oxide have been investigated. SnO2 thin films were prepared by both thermal evaporation (type I) and sputtering (type II) methods and heat treated on silicon wafer substrates. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectra (EDS) are employed to study the morphology and chemical composition of the semiconductor samples. Nano-scale grain size with homogenous distribution showed in SEM images of both types. Sensors resistance in air and its variation-transient response toward ethanol vapours (3000 ppm) was determinated. The response of the stable sensors was obtained 3 and 1.18 for type I and type II, respectively. That showes thin film of nanostructure tin oxide by thermal evaporation (type I) has better sensitivity than the other. More effective surface, adsorption sites and base-line resistance due to the more fine grain size in type I nanostructure, are its important reasons. however, it is slow due extensive rise time and fall time.