Impact of Copper Doping on Nanocrystalline SnO₂ Thin Films Synthesized by Sol-Gel Coating and Chemical Bath Deposition for Gas Sensor Applications

Abstract

This work focuses on the preparation of pure nanocrystalline SnO2 and SnO2:Cu thin films on cleaned glass substrates utilizing a sol-gel spin coating and chemical bath deposition (CBD) procedures. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the possible use of these thin films in the context of gas sensor applications. The films underwent annealing in an air environment at a temperature of 500 ◦C for duration of 60 minutes. The thickness of the film that was deposited may be estimated to be around 300 nm. The investigation included an examination of the structural, optical, electrical, and sensing characteristics, which were explored across various preparation circumstances, specifically focusing on varied concentrations of Cu-doping (2, 4, and 6 wt.%). The deposited films were analyzed by several techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and optical absorption spectroscopy. The films generated by the spin coating method had a tetragonal rutile structure, while the films created via the chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique displayed both tetragonal rutile and orthorhombic structures. The spin coating technique was used to make films of several weight percentages (0, 2, 4, and 6 wt.%). The resulting crystallite sizes were examined and found to be 23 nm, 18 nm, 14 nm, and 10.5 nm, respectively. Similarly, films made using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method exhibited crystallite sizes of 22, 13.9, 9.3, and 8.15 nm, respectively. The obtained findings from atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses indicate a consistent trend whereby, as the concentration of Cu-doped material rises, there is a decrease in the average grain size. The transmittance and absorbance spectra were examined within the wavelength range of 300 to 1000 nm. The films generated by both approaches exhibit a significant level of light transmission throughout the visible spectrum. The bandgap energy of spin coating and CBD films decreases with increasing Cu-doped concentrations; the values were (3.88, 3.8, 3.68, and 3.63) eV and (3.8, 3.78, 3.66, and 3.55) eV, respectively. The electrical characteristics of the films include direct current (DC) electrical conductivity, which indicates the presence of two activation energies, Ea1 and Ea2. These activation energies exhibit an upward trend when the concentration of Cu doping is increased. The films were examined for their ability to detect carbon monoxide (CO) gas at a concentration of about 50 ppm at normal room temperature conditions. The sensitivity of the films to carbon monoxide (CO) gas was assessed at various time intervals and temperatures. The results indicated that the film generated using spin coating exhibited a notably high sensitivity at a temperature of 200 °C, while the film prepared using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) approach had heightened sensitivity at a temperature of 150 °C. Keywords: Spin coating, SnO2 thin films, CBD, AFM, XRD, gas sensor.