Abstract
A UV-activated room temperature chemiresistive gas sensor based on ZnO nanocrystals film was fabricated. Its gas sensing properties under various conditions were also investigated in detail. The results shed new insight into the adsorption behaviors of gas molecules on the surface of ZnO nanocrystals under UV irradiation. The chemisorbed oxygen species (O2(ads)−(hv)) induced by UV light govern the adsorption and desorption ways of other gas molecules on the surface of ZnO nanocrystals, which is dependent on the electron affinity of gas molecules. Gas molecules with higher electron affinity than oxygen molecules can be adsorbed on the surface by the competitive adsorption way, extracting electrons from the surface. Gas molecules with lower electron affinity than oxygen molecules are attracted by the adsorbed O2(ads)−(hv) layer, releasing electrons to the surface. These processes can influence the gas sensing properties of the sensor. Our findings will pave the way for the fundamental understanding and design of UV-activated gas sensor in the future.
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