Quantum Mechanical Co-Adsorption Modelling of Real Electrically Controlled Semiconductor Gas Sensors

AbstractCo-adsorption of several gases is still a challenge due to the variety of reaction paths at the sensitive surface, and their competition for the adsorption sites. With an extended Wolkenstein model and the gas kinetic theory, we find that for specific paths their sequence of exposition has an important influence on the layer resistance as well as on the time required to achieve equilibrium. Whilst only processes that involve charge transfer can be electrically detected, a good correlation between model and electrical measurements needs weakly chemisorbed (physisorbed) layers to be taken in account. Our study presents a SnO2 nano-film sensor with electrical control electrodes exposed to mixtures of O2, NO2 and CO with electrical modelling and sensor statistical data characterization with satisfactory results