Room Temperature Semiconductor Oxygen Sensor

After reviewing the development of semiconductor gas sensors and synthesizing the latest research achievement, this paper describes a novel tin-oxide semiconductor sensor for the determination of atmospheric oxygen levels. This sensor can be operated at ambient temperature without recourse to heating of the sensing element. We select the sol_gel methodto prepare the ultrafine SnO2 powers with high surface area and moreactive site, and discuss the method of preventing the formation of agglomeration. The surface microstructure and chemical constitution of the sensor is observed by SEM analysis. We analyze the sensor's static and dynamic properties, which include transient behavior, initial recovery behavior, linear relation, repeatability, long-term stability, humidity dependence. A significant improvement in humidity dependence of the sensor has been achieved by a novel surface modification process. We introduce the total design concept to improve the sensing property. The future prospects in research and development of oxygen sensors based on semiconducting metal oxides is given in the end.