WO<sub>3</sub>-Based Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition as Gas Sensors for NO<sub>2</sub> Detection

Thin films based on tungsten oxide (WO<sub>3</sub>) were grown by nanosecond pulsed laser deposition on alumina printed-circuit boards to fabricate electrochemical sensors for nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) detection. Samples exposed to thermal annealing (400 °C for 3 h) w...

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Main Authors: Alessandro Bellucci, Angela De Bonis, Mariangela Curcio, Antonio Santagata, Maria Lucia Pace, Eleonora Bolli, Matteo Mastellone, Riccardo Polini, Raffaella Salerno, Veronica Valentini, Daniele M. Trucchi
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/22/7366
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author Alessandro Bellucci
Angela De Bonis
Mariangela Curcio
Antonio Santagata
Maria Lucia Pace
Eleonora Bolli
Matteo Mastellone
Riccardo Polini
Raffaella Salerno
Veronica Valentini
Daniele M. Trucchi
author_facet Alessandro Bellucci
Angela De Bonis
Mariangela Curcio
Antonio Santagata
Maria Lucia Pace
Eleonora Bolli
Matteo Mastellone
Riccardo Polini
Raffaella Salerno
Veronica Valentini
Daniele M. Trucchi
author_sort Alessandro Bellucci
collection DOAJ
description Thin films based on tungsten oxide (WO<sub>3</sub>) were grown by nanosecond pulsed laser deposition on alumina printed-circuit boards to fabricate electrochemical sensors for nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) detection. Samples exposed to thermal annealing (400 °C for 3 h) were also produced to compare the main properties and the sensor performance. Before gas testing, the morphology and structural properties were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy showed the formation of granular films with a more compact structure before the thermal treatment. Features of the main WO<sub>3</sub> phases were identified for both as-deposited and annealed samples by Raman spectroscopy, whereas X-ray diffraction evidenced the amorphous nature of the as-deposited samples and the formation of crystalline phases after thermal annealing. The as-deposited samples showed a higher W/O ratio, as displayed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. An Arrhenius plot revealed a lower activation energy (0.11 eV) for the as-deposited thin films, which are the most electrically conductive samples, presenting a better gas response (30% higher than the response of the annealed ones) in the investigated NO<sub>2</sub> concentration range of 5–20 ppm at the moderate device operating temperature of 75 °C. This behavior is explained by a larger quantity of oxygen vacancies, which enhances the sensing mechanism.
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institution Kabale University
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series Sensors
spelling doaj-art-2e5a15c6b8e04d688190e4443a33d46a2024-11-26T18:21:43ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202024-11-012422736610.3390/s24227366WO<sub>3</sub>-Based Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition as Gas Sensors for NO<sub>2</sub> DetectionAlessandro Bellucci0Angela De Bonis1Mariangela Curcio2Antonio Santagata3Maria Lucia Pace4Eleonora Bolli5Matteo Mastellone6Riccardo Polini7Raffaella Salerno8Veronica Valentini9Daniele M. Trucchi10DiaTHEMA Lab, CNR-ISM, Montelibretti Branch, Via Salaria km 29.300, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, ItalyFemtoLAB, CNR-ISM, Tito Scalo Branch, Zona Industriale, Tito, 85050 Potenza, ItalyFemtoLAB, CNR-ISM, Tito Scalo Branch, Zona Industriale, Tito, 85050 Potenza, ItalyDiaTHEMA Lab, CNR-ISM, Montelibretti Branch, Via Salaria km 29.300, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, ItalyFemtoLAB, CNR-ISM, Tito Scalo Branch, Zona Industriale, Tito, 85050 Potenza, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma ‘Tor Vergata’, 00133 Rome, ItalyDiaTHEMA Lab, CNR-ISM, Montelibretti Branch, Via Salaria km 29.300, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, ItalyDiaTHEMA Lab, CNR-ISM, Montelibretti Branch, Via Salaria km 29.300, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, ItalyDiaTHEMA Lab, CNR-ISM, Montelibretti Branch, Via Salaria km 29.300, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, ItalyThin films based on tungsten oxide (WO<sub>3</sub>) were grown by nanosecond pulsed laser deposition on alumina printed-circuit boards to fabricate electrochemical sensors for nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) detection. Samples exposed to thermal annealing (400 °C for 3 h) were also produced to compare the main properties and the sensor performance. Before gas testing, the morphology and structural properties were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy showed the formation of granular films with a more compact structure before the thermal treatment. Features of the main WO<sub>3</sub> phases were identified for both as-deposited and annealed samples by Raman spectroscopy, whereas X-ray diffraction evidenced the amorphous nature of the as-deposited samples and the formation of crystalline phases after thermal annealing. The as-deposited samples showed a higher W/O ratio, as displayed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. An Arrhenius plot revealed a lower activation energy (0.11 eV) for the as-deposited thin films, which are the most electrically conductive samples, presenting a better gas response (30% higher than the response of the annealed ones) in the investigated NO<sub>2</sub> concentration range of 5–20 ppm at the moderate device operating temperature of 75 °C. This behavior is explained by a larger quantity of oxygen vacancies, which enhances the sensing mechanism.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/22/7366pulsed laser depositionthin filmstungsten oxidegas sensingsurface oxygen vacanciesthermal annealing
spellingShingle Alessandro Bellucci
Angela De Bonis
Mariangela Curcio
Antonio Santagata
Maria Lucia Pace
Eleonora Bolli
Matteo Mastellone
Riccardo Polini
Raffaella Salerno
Veronica Valentini
Daniele M. Trucchi
WO<sub>3</sub>-Based Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition as Gas Sensors for NO<sub>2</sub> Detection
Sensors
pulsed laser deposition
thin films
tungsten oxide
gas sensing
surface oxygen vacancies
thermal annealing
title WO<sub>3</sub>-Based Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition as Gas Sensors for NO<sub>2</sub> Detection
title_full WO<sub>3</sub>-Based Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition as Gas Sensors for NO<sub>2</sub> Detection
title_fullStr WO<sub>3</sub>-Based Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition as Gas Sensors for NO<sub>2</sub> Detection
title_full_unstemmed WO<sub>3</sub>-Based Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition as Gas Sensors for NO<sub>2</sub> Detection
title_short WO<sub>3</sub>-Based Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition as Gas Sensors for NO<sub>2</sub> Detection
title_sort wo sub 3 sub based thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition as gas sensors for no sub 2 sub detection
topic pulsed laser deposition
thin films
tungsten oxide
gas sensing
surface oxygen vacancies
thermal annealing
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/22/7366
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