Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4rdrl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-06T08:15:08.007Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Study of activation energy and humidity sensing application of nanostructured Cu-doped ZnO thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2016

Suneet Kumar Misra  and
Narendra Kumar Pandey
Suneet Kumar Misra*
Affiliation:
Sensors and Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, India
Narendra Kumar Pandey
Affiliation:
Sensors and Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, India
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: suneetm31@gmail.com
Get access

Abstract

In this paper we have reported analysis on activation energy and humidity sensing studies of Cu-doped ZnO thin films. Thin Films of undoped and Cu-doped ZnO nanomaterials were prepared. Undoped and Cu-doped ZnO thin films annealed at 600 °C showed the best results with sensitivity of 20.63 MΩ/%RH and 39.14 MΩ/%RH respectively in the 15–95% RH range. Low value of activation energy indicated that this sensing element had low operating temperature and could be used at room temperature. Other parameters like response time, recovery time, hysteresis, and aging effects were also studied. The crystallite size for the sensing element of pure ZnO annealed at 600 °C calculated from Scherrer's formula is in the 24–38 nm range. For the sensing element of 7% Cu doped ZnO the range of crystallite size is 25–41 nm. The average grain size as measured from SEM micrograph for 7% Cu doped ZnO and pure ZnO sensing elements were 36 and 42 nm, respectively.

Keywords

cudopedactivation energyhumidity sensingthin film
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 31 , Issue 20 , 28 October 2016 , pp. 3214 - 3222
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Jeseentharani, V., Jeyaraj, B., Pragasam, J., Dayalan, A., and Nagaraja, K.S.: Humidity sensing properties of CuO, ZnO and NiO composites. Sens. Transducers J. 113(2), 48 (2010).Google Scholar
Kutty, T.R.N. and Raghu, N.: Electrical conductivity of Cu-doped ZnO and its change with hydrogen implantation. Appl. Phys. Lett. 54(18), 1796 (1989).Google Scholar
Chiou, B.S. and Chung, M.C.: Effect of copper additive on the microstructure and electrical properties of polycrystalline zinc oxide. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 75(12), 3363 (1992).Google Scholar
Bellini, J.V., Morelli, M.R., and Kiminami, R.H.G.A.: Electrical properties of polycrystalline ZnO:Cu obtained from freeze-dried ZnO + copper (II) acetate powder. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 13, 485 (2002).Google Scholar
Jayanti, K., Chawla, S., Sood, K.N., Chhibara, M., and Singh, S.: Dopant induced morphology changes in ZnO nanocrystals. Appl. Surf. Sci. 255, 5869 (2009).Google Scholar
Yawale, S.P., Yawale, S.S., and Lamdhade, G.T.: Tin oxide and zinc oxide based doped humidity sensors. Sens. Actuators, A 135, 388 (2007).Google Scholar
Li, Y., Yang, M.J., and She, Y.: Humidity sensors using in situ synthesized sodium polystyrenesulfonate/ZnO nanocomposites. Talanta 62(4), 707 (2004).Google Scholar
Qui, Y.Y., Azeredo-Leme, C., Alcacer, L.R., and Franca, J.E.: A CMOS humidity sensor with on-chip calibration. Sens. Actuators, A 92(1–3), 80 (2001).Google Scholar
Dokmeci, M. and Najafi, K.: A high-sensitivity polyimide capacitive relative humidity sensor for monitoring anodically bonded hermetic micropackages. J. Microelectromech. Syst. 10(2), 197 (2001).Google Scholar
Matsuguchi, M., Sadaoka, Y., Sakai, Y., Kuroiwa, T., and Ito, A.: A capacitive-type humidity sensor using cross-linked poly (methyl-methacrylate) thin films. J. Electrochem. Soc. 138, 1862 (1991).Google Scholar
Matsuguchi, M., Kuroiwa, T., Miyagishi, T., Suzuki, S., Ogura, T., and Sakai, Y.: Stability and reliability of capacitive-type relative humidity sensors using crosslinked polyimide films. Sens. Actuators, B 52, 53 (1998).Google Scholar
Bai, S., Hu, J., Li, D., Luo, R., Chena, A., and Liub, C.C.: Quantum-sized ZnO nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization and sensing properties for NO2 . J. Mater. Chem. 21(33), 12288 (2011).Google Scholar
Kim, J. and Yong, K.: Mechanism study of ZnO nanorod-bundle sensors for H2S gas sensing. J. Phys. Chem. C 115(15), 7218 (2011).Google Scholar
Yu, X-L., Ji, H-M., Wang, H-L., Sun, J., and Du, X-W.: Synthesis and sensing properties of ZnO/ZnS nanocages. Nanoscale Res. Lett. 5, 644 (2010).Google Scholar
Wei, Q., Meng, G., An, X., Hao, Y., and Zang, L.: Temperature controlled growth of ZnO nanostructure: Branched nanobelts and wide nanosheets. Nanotechnology 16(11), 2561 (2005).Google Scholar
Nanto, H., Minami, T., and Takata, S.: Zinc-oxide thin film ammonia gas sensor with high sensitivity and excellent selectivity. J. Appl. Phys. 60, 482 (1986).Google Scholar
Cheng, X.L., Zhao, H., Huo, L.H., Gao, S., and Zhao, J.G.: ZnO nanoparticle thin film: Preparation, characterization and gas-sensing property. Sens. Actuators, B 102, 248 (2004).Google Scholar
Wang, H.T., Kangand, B.S., and Ren, F.: Hydrogen-selective sensing at room temperature with ZnO nanorods. Appl. Phys. Lett. 86(24), 243503 (2005).Google Scholar
He, J.H., Singamaneni, S., Ho, C.H., Lin, Y.H., McConney, M.E., and Tsukruk, V.V.: A thermal sensor and switch based on a plasma polymer/ZnO suspended nanobelt bimorph structure. Nanotechnology 20(6), 065502 (2009).Google Scholar
Sui, C., Xia, J., Wang, H., Xu, T., Yan, B., and Liu, Y.: Optical temperature sensor based on ZnO thin film's temperature-dependent optical properties. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 82(8), 084901 (2011).Google Scholar
Wang, H., Feng, C.D., Sun, S.L., Segre, C.U., and Stetter, J.R.: Comparison of conductometric humidity-sensing polymers. Sens. Actuators, B 40(2–3), 211 (1997).Google Scholar
Radeva, E., Georgiev, V., Spassov, L., Koprinarov, N., and Kanev, S.: Humidity absorptive properties of thin fullerene layers studied by means of quartz microbalance. Sens. Actuators, B 42(1), 11 (1997).Google Scholar
Boltshauser, T., Leme, C.A., and Baltes, H.: High sensitivity CMOS humidity sensors with on-chip absolute capacitance measurement system. Sens. Actuators, B 15(1–3), 75 (1993).Google Scholar
Jachowicz, R. and Weremczuk, J.: Sub-cooled water detection in silicon dew point hygrometer. Sens. Actuators, A 85(1–3), 75 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Misra, S.K., Pandey, N.K., Shakya, V., and Roy, A.: Application of undoped and Al2O3-doped ZnO nanomaterials as solid-state humidity sensor and its characterization studies. IEEE Sens. J. 15(6), 3582 (2015).Google Scholar
Pandey, N.K., Tiwari, K., and Roy, A.: Moisture sensing application of Cu2O doped ZnO nanocomposites. IEEE Sens. J. 11(9), 2142 (2011).Google Scholar