Optimization of thin-film gas sensors for environmental monitoring through theoretical modeling

Abstract

The task of optimization of gas sensor characteristics such as absolute value and temperature range of sensitivity, time response and selectivity is one of the most important problems of gas sensor design. Unfortunately, at present time the decision of this problem has empirical character, which is not effective, because of multi-factor task. We propose another approach to GS optimization, which is based on the theoretical modeling of gas sensing characteristics in the framework of chemisorptional views. Such approach is more effective as it permits both to understand and to predict the influence of surface and bulk parameters of metal oxide films on sensing characteristics.