Highly sensitive surface acoustic wave HCl gas sensors based on hydroxyl-rich sol-gel AlOxOHy films.

Gas sensors detecting low HCl gas concentrations used for early detection and continuous monitoring of leakage is of great concern because HCl gas is extremely hazardous. In order to tackle the potential hazardous threats, surface acoustic wave HCl gas sensors based on hydroxyl-rich sol-gel AlO x OH y films are reported. The fabricated SAW sensors show negative frequency shifts with exposure to HCl gas. The negative frequency shift is found to be caused by the increasing weight of sensitive films induced by the adsorption of HCl assisted by the hydroxyl groups and H 2 O captured on the films. The sensing performance of sensors is highly dependent on the heat-treatment temperature and thickness of films, as well as the ambient humidity because these parameters are highly influential on the amount of hydroxyl groups, H 2 O on films and the pore volume of films. For a sensor with a 198-nm-thick film annealed at 300 °C, it shows a response of ~ -1.4 KHz to HCl at a low concentration level (0.05 ppm) in an environment with a temperature of 25 °C and a RH value of 40%. Image 10822 • The sensor can detect HCl gas with a concentration as low as 0.05 ppm. • The hydroxyl groups and H 2 O on the sol-gel AlO x (OH) y films assist the response. • The frequency shift of sensor is derived from the change of weight of the films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]