Synthesis and Characterization of Samarium Doped Tin Oxide Thin Films for Humidity Sensing

Abstract

In recent years, researchers have shown profound interest in developing sensing films made of semiconducting Metal Oxide (MOX) nanomaterials, owing to their fine grain size, high surface to volume ratio, porosity and the possibility of electrical variation with respect to sensing parameter. In this work, synthesis and characterization studies of pure and samarium doped tin oxide nanoparticles, were investigated for humidity sensing application. Thin films in four variants of samarium concentration, were sputter deposited on silicon substrate and their structural, morphological and topographical characterization were studied. The effect of annealing on the physical properties of pure and doped tin oxide thin films and its implication on humidity sensing properties were analyzed. Temperature-dependent electrical study was carried out in the range of 40 to 90 oC, in order to identify the conduction mechanism and electrical properties of the samples, desirable for sensing applications. Simulation was carried out in COMSOL Multiphysics and stationary studies were performed on the design, identical to thin film, to observe variations in current densities at two different substrate temperatures newline