Abstract
In this study, the effect of post-deposition tetrafluoromethane (CF4) plasma treatment on the physical and electrical characteristics of an In2TiO5 based electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sensor was investigated. Post-deposition CF4 plasma treatment typically improved the crystalline structure and repaired dangling bonds at the grain boundaries. We used the newly fabricated device to detect several ions, such as sodium and potassium, which are essential for many biological processes. The as-deposited and CF4 plasma treated In2TiO5 sensing window with an EIS structure was also able to detect the pH of a solution, different alkali ions (Na+ and K+), glucose, and urea. The sensing membrane after a 60-sec CF4 plasma treatment displayed improved biosensing characteristics, such as higher sensitivity (59.64 mV/pH), better drift rate, and a smaller hysteresis voltage of approximately 0.424 mV/h. The In2TiO5 sensing membrane treated with CF4 plasma is a promising material for use in EIS biosensing applications.
Highlights
In2TiO5 sensing membrane treated with CF4 plasma is a promising material for use in EIS biosensing applications
We describe the consequence of the post-deposition CF4 plasma treatment on the sensing and physical characteristics of a deposited In2TiO5 thin film as a sensing membrane
The major phase changed from (321) to (222) in X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of In2TiO5. The intensities of these three peaks were enhanced by the CF4 plasma treatment and further increased by increasing www.nature.com/scientificreports the plasma treatment time from 15 to 60 sec due to the improvement in the crystalline structure
Summary
In2TiO5 sensing membrane treated with CF4 plasma is a promising material for use in EIS biosensing applications. In2O3 films can be reduced to create an oxygen deficiency, where insufficient oxygen atoms are contained in the crystal structure[9]. This results in the formation of a nonstoichiometric In2O3−x film with an increased number of defects. CF4 plasma treatment of the In2O3 and In2TiO5 film can enhance the In-O bonding. In2O3 is widely used for gas sensing[10], transparent conducting oxides[11], and thin film transistors[12] because of its excellent material characteristics. Ti internalization enhances device capacitance and reduces the reactivity with the surrounding moisture[15,16]
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