Advanced Nested Coaxial Thin-Film ZnO Nanostructures Synthesized by Atomic Layer Deposition for Improved Sensing Performance
We report a new synthesis method for multiple-walled nested thin-film nanostructures by combining hydrothermal growth methods with atomic layer deposition (ALD) thin-film technology and sacrificial films, thereby increasing the surface-to-volume ratio to improve the sensing performance of novel ZnO...
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| author | Pengtao Lin Lari S. Zhang Kai Zhang Helmut Baumgart |
| author_facet | Pengtao Lin Lari S. Zhang Kai Zhang Helmut Baumgart |
| author_sort | Pengtao Lin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We report a new synthesis method for multiple-walled nested thin-film nanostructures by combining hydrothermal growth methods with atomic layer deposition (ALD) thin-film technology and sacrificial films, thereby increasing the surface-to-volume ratio to improve the sensing performance of novel ZnO gas sensors. Single-crystal ZnO nanorods serve as the core of the nanostructure assembly and were synthesized hydrothermally on fine-grained ALD ZnO seed films. Subsequently, the ZnO core nanotubes were coated with alternating sacrificial coaxial 3D wrap-around ALD Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> films and ALD ZnO films. Basically, the center nanorod was coated with an ALD 3D wrap-around Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> sacrificial layer to realize a nested coaxial ZnO thin-film nanotube. To increase the surface-to-volume ratio of the nested multiple-film nanostructure, both the front and backside of the nested coaxial ZnO films must be exposed by selectively removing the intermittent Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> sacrificial films. The selective removal of the sacrificial films exposes the front and backside of the free-standing ZnO films for interaction with target gases during sensing operation while steadily increasing the surface-to-volume ratio. The sensing response of the novel ZnO gas sensor architecture with nested nanotubes achieved a maximum 150% enhancement at low temperature compared to a conventional ZnO nanorod sensor. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5077b19a0694493faad18e8fd5201d1c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| spelling | doaj-art-5077b19a0694493faad18e8fd5201d1c2024-12-13T16:22:19ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172024-11-0114231095910.3390/app142310959Advanced Nested Coaxial Thin-Film ZnO Nanostructures Synthesized by Atomic Layer Deposition for Improved Sensing PerformancePengtao Lin0Lari S. Zhang1Kai Zhang2Helmut Baumgart3Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USAODU-Applied Research Center at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Laboratories, 12050 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 721, Newport News, VA 23606, USADepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USADepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USAWe report a new synthesis method for multiple-walled nested thin-film nanostructures by combining hydrothermal growth methods with atomic layer deposition (ALD) thin-film technology and sacrificial films, thereby increasing the surface-to-volume ratio to improve the sensing performance of novel ZnO gas sensors. Single-crystal ZnO nanorods serve as the core of the nanostructure assembly and were synthesized hydrothermally on fine-grained ALD ZnO seed films. Subsequently, the ZnO core nanotubes were coated with alternating sacrificial coaxial 3D wrap-around ALD Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> films and ALD ZnO films. Basically, the center nanorod was coated with an ALD 3D wrap-around Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> sacrificial layer to realize a nested coaxial ZnO thin-film nanotube. To increase the surface-to-volume ratio of the nested multiple-film nanostructure, both the front and backside of the nested coaxial ZnO films must be exposed by selectively removing the intermittent Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> sacrificial films. The selective removal of the sacrificial films exposes the front and backside of the free-standing ZnO films for interaction with target gases during sensing operation while steadily increasing the surface-to-volume ratio. The sensing response of the novel ZnO gas sensor architecture with nested nanotubes achieved a maximum 150% enhancement at low temperature compared to a conventional ZnO nanorod sensor.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/23/10959atomic layer deposition (ALD)synthesis of nested thin-film nanostructuresZnO thin filmssacrificial Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> thin filmsgas sensorsnanorod/nanotube nanostructures |
| spellingShingle | Pengtao Lin Lari S. Zhang Kai Zhang Helmut Baumgart Advanced Nested Coaxial Thin-Film ZnO Nanostructures Synthesized by Atomic Layer Deposition for Improved Sensing Performance Applied Sciences atomic layer deposition (ALD) synthesis of nested thin-film nanostructures ZnO thin films sacrificial Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> thin films gas sensors nanorod/nanotube nanostructures |
| title | Advanced Nested Coaxial Thin-Film ZnO Nanostructures Synthesized by Atomic Layer Deposition for Improved Sensing Performance |
| title_full | Advanced Nested Coaxial Thin-Film ZnO Nanostructures Synthesized by Atomic Layer Deposition for Improved Sensing Performance |
| title_fullStr | Advanced Nested Coaxial Thin-Film ZnO Nanostructures Synthesized by Atomic Layer Deposition for Improved Sensing Performance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Advanced Nested Coaxial Thin-Film ZnO Nanostructures Synthesized by Atomic Layer Deposition for Improved Sensing Performance |
| title_short | Advanced Nested Coaxial Thin-Film ZnO Nanostructures Synthesized by Atomic Layer Deposition for Improved Sensing Performance |
| title_sort | advanced nested coaxial thin film zno nanostructures synthesized by atomic layer deposition for improved sensing performance |
| topic | atomic layer deposition (ALD) synthesis of nested thin-film nanostructures ZnO thin films sacrificial Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> thin films gas sensors nanorod/nanotube nanostructures |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/23/10959 |
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