The influence of deposition parameters on room temperature ozone sensing properties of InOx films

Indium oxide films with a thickness of 100 nm were deposited onto Coming 70 59 glass substrates at room temperature. The films were prepared by the dc magnetron sputtering technique using a variety of sputtering powers and spu ttering atmospheres. The structural parameters of the films as determined b y XRD analysis and the optical band gap were found to be dependent on the s puttering power during their preparation. The ozone sensing properties of t he indium oxide films were investigated following an activation with UV lig ht and as a result a sensitivity of 10(5) to 10(6) was achieved. For films sputtered with a deposition rate of 0.4 Angstrom /s and with 100% oxygen in plasma during the sputtering process, the highest sensitivity was achieved . (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.