The optical and gas-sensitive properties of opal-like structures based on SnO2

Opal-like materials based on tin dioxide were prepared, and their structural and sensor characteristics were studied. The optical transmission spectra of opal-like structures based on SnO 2 were recorded, and the volume fraction occupied in them by tin dioxide was estimated. It was shown that structures based on SnO 2 contained a photon stop-zone in the visible spectrum range. The sensor properties of the materials toward CO and H 2 were studied over the temperature range 375−425°C. The SnO 2 samples studied had much higher sensitivity to CO compared with SnO 2 materials without opal-like structures.