Preparation and gas-sensing properties of the silver nanoparticles/porous silicon composite

Abstract

The p-type porous silicon layer with the aperture about 1.5 microns and hole depth about 15-20 microns is prepared by electrochemical etching of a p-type monocrystalline silicon wafer with a resistivity 10-15 Ω·cm and along [100] orientation in a double-tank cell which consists of the electrolyte (volume ratio HF: DMF=1:2). Silver nanoparticles film with different thickness has been deposited on porous silicon by the electroless deposition for different deposition times. Morphology and microstructure of the silver nanoparticles/porous silicon composite are studied by scanning electron microscope and X ray diffracmeter. Result indicates that the silver nanoparticles are uniformly distributed on the surface of porous silicon and the deposition time has an important influence on the morphology of the composite. The gas-sensing properties of the silver nanoparticles/porous silicon composite to NH3 are tested at room temperature by the static volumetric method. Results show that the deposition time has a significant impact on the gas-sensing properties of the silver nanoparticles/porous silicon. In a short deposition time, the composite with an appropriate amount of silver nanoparticles doped on the porous silicon shows good gas-sensing properties to NH3 with high sensitivity, fast response-recovery characteristic due to the high specific surface area and special microstructure. At room temperature, the gas sensor has a sensitivity of about 5.8 to 50 ppm NH3.