Thin film tin oxide-based propane gas sensors

Abstract In this work, we report on the elaboration of SnO 2 and SnO 2 :Ag thin films (∼200 nm in thickness) obtained by heat-treatment in oxygen of Sn and Sn:Ag thin films deposited by vacuum evaporation on alumina substrates. A simple and very cheap procedure was used to dope the SnO 2 films with Ag. Preliminary results on the sensing properties of these films are presented. Films are able to detect selectively the presence of C 3 H 8 in the LP-gas domestic mixture. Doping with Ag allows reductions in the optimal operation temperature of the SnO 2 sensors by 100°C. This a very important result when detecting such a highly explosive gas.