SENSOR ACTIVITY IN PULSED LASER DEPOSITED AND ION-IMPLANTED TIN OXIDE THIN-FILMS

In this paper we report the effect of microstructural variations on sensing activity of SnO2 thin films. The tin oxide thin films are deposited by using the technique of pulsed laser ablation. The process parameters, i.e. oxygen partial pressure, are varied to obtain films with different stoichiometries and microstructures. Some of these films are bombarded with medium energy (140 keV) argon ions at various dose levels. Structural and compositional variations in the films have been studied by using low angle X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer spectroscopy and in situ resistivity measurements while optical response has been monitored by using UV-visible spectroscopy. The films synthesized and processed under different conditions have been subjected to examination of gas and humidity sensing behaviour.