Nanostructured zinc oxide films synthesized by successive chemical solution deposition for gas sensor applications

Nanostructured ZnO thin films have been deposited using a successive chemical solution deposi method. The structural, morphological, electrical and sensing properties of the films were studied different concentrations of Al-dopant and were analyzed as a function of rapid photothermal proces temperatures. The films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, en dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Electrical and sensitivity measurements were conducted as well. The average grain size is 240 and 224 Å for undo ZnO and Al-doped ZnO films, respectively. We demonstrate that rapid photothermal processing i efficientmethod for improving the quality of nanostructured ZnO films. Nanostructured ZnO films do with Al showed a higher sensitivity to carbon dioxide than undoped ZnO films. The correlations betw material compositions, microstructures of the films and the properties of the gas sensors are discus 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reser