Effect of 130 MeV Au ion irradiation on CO2 gas sensing properties of In2Te3 thin films

CO and CO2 are harmful pollutants. The main objective of monitoring CO and CO2 is to prevent intoxication. Though these pollutants were monitored by metal oxide gas sensors, it operated at high temperature. Selectivity of metal oxides over a wide range of gas is limited. Additional contribution of sensor heaters and its associated electronics may induce poor stability of a sensor. In addition to that room temperature gas sensor is always essential to monitor the CO2 pollutant. In the present work, we have prepared In2Te3 thin films from In/Te bilayer by SHI (Au 130 MeV) irradiation. Structural, surface morphology, elemental composition and gas sensing behavior of the as grown and irradiated samples were analyzed by XRD, SEM, RBS and I-V analysis. The observed results were discussed in connection with the SHI induced modification at the interface. As fluence increases, the crystallanity also found to increase. In addition to that dewetting structure is observed at higher fluence. The films prepared by SHI route shows better gas sensing behavior of In2Te3 thin film than from conventional method of synthesis. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.