Development of high sensitivity ethanol gas sensors based on Pt-doped SnO2 surfaces

This paper describes how thick-film technology was used to fabricate small, robust, sensitive, and selective semiconductor metal oxide (SMO) sensors to detect traces of ethanol vapours in air. The sensing parameters of several active layers were studied including: sensitivity, response repeatability, stability and selectivity. The response to different species of five differently doped SnO2 sensors and a commercially available one were measured at concentrations between 1 ppb and 1000 ppm. Interaction was extremely high when ethanol came into contact with the Pt-doped SnO2 surface. The change in resistance of the Pt-doped sensors was between 2 and 55 times higher than the change in the commercial one. The Pt-doped SnO2 material is less resistant, more sensitive and shows faster response to ethanol than pure SnO2. Since the detection limit for ethanol is at sub-ppb level, the fabricated sensors could be used for alcoholmeters or for on-line monitoring and controlling the concentration of ethanol in fruit ripening storage chambers. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.