Nanoparticle thin films deposited by MAPLE for sensor applications

A. P. Caricato; S. Capone; M. Epifani; M. Lomascolo; A. Luches; M. Martino; F. Romano; R. Rella; P. Siciliano; J. Spadavecchia; A. Taurino; T. Tunno; D. Valerini

doi:10.1117/12.786981

15 January 2008 Nanoparticle thin films deposited by MAPLE for sensor applications

A. P. Caricato, S. Capone, M. Epifani, M. Lomascolo, A. Luches, M. Martino, F. Romano, R. Rella, P. Siciliano, J. Spadavecchia, A. Taurino, T. Tunno, D. Valerini

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6985, Fundamentals of Laser Assisted Micro- and Nanotechnologies; 69850H (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.786981
Event: Fundamentals of Laser Assisted Micro- and Nanotechnologies, 2007, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Abstract

We report on the potentiality of the Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) technique for the deposition of thin films of colloidal nanoparticles to be used for gas sensors based on electrical transduction mechanisms. The MAPLE technique seems very promising, since it permits a good thickness control even on rough substrates, generally used to enhance the active surface for gas adsorption. TiO₂ (with a capping layer of benzyl alcohol) and SnO₂ (with a capping layer of trioctylphosphine) colloidal nanoparticles were diluted in suitable solvents (0.2% concentration), frozen at liquid nitrogen temperature and ablated with a ArF (λ=193 nm) or KrF (248 nm) excimer laser. The nanoparticle thin films were deposited on silica, interdigitated alumina and <100> Si substrates and submitted to morphological (SEM-FEG), structural (XRD, FTIR), optical (UV-Vis transmission) and electrical (sensing tests) characterizations. A uniform distribution of TiO₂ nanoparticles, with an average size of ~10 nm, was obtained on flat and rough substrates. The deposited TiO₂ nanoparticles preserved the anatase crystalline structure, as evidenced by the XRD spectra. FTIR analysis showed that the SnO₂ nanoparticles maintained the capping layer after the laser-assisted transfer process. This protective layer was removed after annealing at 400 °C. The starting nanoparticle dimensions were preserved also in this case. Electrical tests, performed on TiO₂ nanoparticle films, in controlled atmosphere in presence of ethanol and acetone vapors, evidenced a high value of the sensor response even at very low concentrations (20-200 ppm in dry air). In contrast, in the case of SnO₂ nanoparticle films, electrical tests to ethanol vapor presence showed poor gas sensing properties probably due to the small nanoparticle sizes and interconnections.

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A. P. Caricato, S. Capone, M. Epifani, M. Lomascolo, A. Luches, M. Martino, F. Romano, R. Rella, P. Siciliano, J. Spadavecchia, A. Taurino, T. Tunno, and D. Valerini "Nanoparticle thin films deposited by MAPLE for sensor applications", Proc. SPIE 6985, Fundamentals of Laser Assisted Micro- and Nanotechnologies, 69850H (15 January 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.786981

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