The Effect of Humidity and Environment Temperature on Thin Film Pt/SnO2:Sb Gas Sensors

Abstract

The effect of humidity on tin oxide thin film gas sensors has been studied in the case of methane. We found that the sensor resistance and response to methane are dramatically increased at decreasing of humidity. The results are qualitatively explained under the assumption that water molecules dissociate on the SnO2 surface, produce hydroxyl species capable of acting as electron donors and decrease the densities of chemisorbed atomic oxygen and lattice oxygen atoms.