Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Depth Research Articles

Effects of high temperature annealing on the atomic layer deposited HfO2/β-Ga2O3(010) interface

Atomic layer deposited HfO2 is a primary candidate for metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) power devices based on the ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor β-Ga2O3. Here, we investigated the thermal stability of this stack. Out-diffusion of gallium into HfO2, measured by secondary ion mass spectroscopy depth profile, was observed after annealing at 900 °C. Electrical characterization of MOS capacitors (MOSCAPs) showed that this diffusion caused a dramatic increase in leakage current. For annealing temperatures between 700 and 850 °C, no significant Ga diffusion into the HfO2 layer was observed. Nonetheless, MOSCAPs made with stacks annealed at 700 °C have significantly higher forward bias leakage compared to as-prepared MOSCAPs. Through photo-assisted capacitance–voltage measurements (C–V), we found that this leakage is due to an increase in interface traps (Dit) lying 0.3–0.9 eV below the conduction band. We thus have identified how thermal treatments influence HfO2/Ga2O3 behavior: for anneals at 700–850 °C, we observe an increase in Dit and leakage, while annealing at >900 °C results in notable Ga out-diffusion and a catastrophic degradation in leakage. This understanding is key to improving the performance and reliability of future β-Ga2O3 MOS power devices.

Electrochemical codeposition of arsenic from acidic copper sulfate baths: The implications for sustainable copper electrometallurgy

• The main source of arsenic contamination is codeposition during the nucleation stage. • Convection and concentrated Cu(II) electrolytes mitigate arsenic contamination. • The reduction of As(III) to metallic As does not occur readily. • Fast removal of As(III) possible by copper-arsenic codeposition. Copper producers face increased demand associated with increasing complexity in feedstock composition, including high amounts of impurity metals. In this work, linear sweep voltammetry was used to study the electrodeposition behavior of copper and arsenic, define strategies for the production of grade A copper, and the removal of arsenic from complex electrolytes. Our results show that the copper concentration is a key parameter to control in the electrodeposition process. The continuous deposition of arsenic from the electrolyte requires copper in solution (≤10 g L −1 Cu(II) for 2 g L −1 As(III)) to form copper arsenides . The deposition of metallic arsenic does not occur readily. Conversely, the use of a concentrated Cu(II) solution (e.g. 40 g L −1 ) resulted in grade A copper from an electrolyte with a maximum of 2 g L −1 As(III) under galvanostatic control at a current density of – 42 mA cm −2 . Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry depth profile measurements on copper deposits revealed that arsenic contamination was entirely concentrated near the substrate side of the deposit and progressively decreased further into the deposit. The codeposition of arsenic occurred along with the initial copper nucleation, when the electrochemical potential for electrodepostion under galvanostatic control is temporarily lower. These findings provide important insights for future sustainable copper electrodeposition technologies from complex feedstocks.

Effect of ferroelectric and interface films on the tunneling electroresistance of the Al2O3/Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 based ferroelectric tunnel junctions

Ferroelectric random-access memory (FRAM) based on conventional ferroelectric materials is a non-volatile memory with fast read/write operations, high endurance, and 10 years of data retention time. However, it suffers from destructive read-out operation and lack of CMOS compatibility. HfO2-based ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJ) may compensate for the shortcomings of FRAM by its CMOS compatibility, fast operation speed, and non-destructive readout operation. In this study, we investigate the effect of ferroelectric and interface film thickness on the tunneling electroresistance or ON/OFF current ratio of the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2/Al2O3 based FTJ device. Integrating a thick ferroelectric layer (i.e. 12 nm Hf0.5Zr0.5O2) with a thin interface layer (i.e. 1 nm Al2O3) resulted in an ON/OFF current ratio of 78. Furthermore, to elucidate the relationship between ON/OFF current ratio and interfacial properties, the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2-Al2O3 films and Ge-Al2O3 interfaces are examined via time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling mode. A bilayer oxide heterostructure (Hf0.5Zr0.5O2/Al2O3) is deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the Ge substrate. The ON/OFF current ratio is enhanced by an order of magnitude when the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 film deposition mode is changed from exposure (H2O) ALD to sequential plasma (sequential O2–H2) ALD. Moreover, the interfacial engineering approach based on the in situ ALD H2-plasma surface pre-treatment of Ge increases the ON/OFF current ratio from 9 to 38 by reducing the interfacial trap density state at the Ge-Al2O3 interface and producing Al2O3 with fewer oxygen vacancies as compared to the wet etch (HF + H2O rinse) treatment of the Ge substrate. This study provides evidence of strong coupling between Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 and Al2O3 films in controlling the ON/OFF current ratio of the FTJ.

Removal of residual compositions by powder engineering for high efficiency formamidinium-based perovskite solar cells with operation lifetime over 2000 h

Defects as a result of structural imperfections and/or extrinsic impurities in the perovskite films have a detrimental effect on efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, we propose to use pre-synthesized crystalline perovskite with perfect stoichiometry to control and lower the density of defects from precursors by the powder engineering method. Compared with raw materials (i.e., PbI 2 and FAI) based perovskites, the average efficiency of the PSCs fabricated based on these pre-synthesized perovskite precursors increased from 18.62% to 19.85%. Moreover, the unwanted intermediate chemical compositions (i.e., the unreacted phases and residual solvent) in the raw material-based perovskite films were significantly reduced in the pre-synthesized δ-FAPbI 3 and α-FAPbI 3 perovskites according to the secondary ion mass spectroscopy depth profiling results. Finally, we obtained the champion efficiency of 22.76% for α-FAPbI 3 and 23.05% for FAPb(I 0.9 Br 0.1 ) 3 based PSCs. Long-term operational stability measurements of the encapsulated FAPb(I 0.9 Br 0.1 ) 3 based PSCs showed a slow decay and maintained the efficiency about 88% after 1200 h (T 80 > 2000 h). Furthermore, a proof-of-concept integrated perovskite solar module-lithium ion battery-light-emitting diode device was demonstrated. Formamidinium-based perovskite solar cells with a high efficiency over 23% and 2000-h T 80 lifetime were fabricated using pre-synthesized crystalline perovskite powders via powder engineering. • Pre-synthesized crystalline perovskite powder with fewer defects is prepared by the powder engineering method. • Residual compositions are removed, which results in improved efficiency and operational stability. • The highest PCEs of 22.76% for α-FAPbI 3 and 23.05% for FAPb(I 0.9 Br 0.1 ) 3 are achieved by the powder engineering method. • A proof-of-concept perovskite solar module-lithium ion battery-light-emitting diode (PSM-LIB-LED) device is demonstrated.

Magnesium Diffusion from MgO Substrates in Sol–Gel‐Derived NiO Epitaxial Films: Effects of Heat Treatment Temperature and Li Doping

The effects of heat treatment temperature and Li doping on the structural properties of sol–gel‐derived NiO epitaxial films on MgO (100) substrates are investigated. X‐ray diffraction measurements indicate that the out‐of‐plane lattice parameters of undoped NiO films increase as the heat treatment temperature increases. This increase is particularly significant in films treated above 900 °C, in which out‐of‐plane and in‐plane lattice parameters are larger than the expected values for bulk NiO. This result cannot be explained by the strain originating in the lattice mismatch between NiO and MgO. In addition, the bandgap drastically increases in undoped films treated above 900 °C. Secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling demonstrates that undoped films treated above 900 °C are Ni1−xMgxO alloys generated by the diffusion of Mg from MgO substrates into NiO films, resulting in the anomalous characteristics of the prepared films. Furthermore, it indicates that the diffusion of Mg is reduced in Li‐doped films, which can be explained on the basis of defect chemistry, in which Ni vacancies decrease with the increase in Li concentration. Consequently, the increases in the lattice parameter and bandgap at high heat treatment temperatures are reduced in Li‐doped films.

Kinetics of HfO2 etching and impurity elimination with atomic hydrogen beams

Modification of the surface composition, stoichiometry, morphology, and structure of HfO2 ultra-thin layers upon exposure to atomic hydrogen beams has been investigated by a combination of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) depth profile analysis, angle-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The etching reaction has been found to be thermally activated (Ea = 96 kJ/mol) and governed by the expression Retch(Å/h) = 3.03 × 108e-1.15x104T within the 350–400 °C temperature range. The rate law determined experimentally, i.e., Retch(Å/h) = 1.07 × 10−1[H2]1/2, is consistent with a reaction mechanism that involves the formation of a volatile hafnium dihydroxide, Hf(OH)2 in two successive elementary steps. Precise control of the etching conditions allows to reach atomically smooth HfO2 surfaces having r.m.s. roughness below 0.2 nm, with no evidence of Hf metal formation derived from the reaction with atomic H. Elimination of C, Cl, F, and S contaminants from the HfO2 surface through the formation of the corresponding volatile hydrides has proved to be generally most effective at high temperatures and H2 flow rates.

Self-diffusion processes in stoichiometric iron mononitride

In this work, we studied atomic self-diffusion and structural phase transformation in a single phase iron mononitride (FeN) thin film deposited at an optimized substrate temperature (Ts) of 423 K. At this Ts, the FeN film exhibits a tetrahedral coordination between Fe and N atoms (ZnS-type structure with a lattice parameter of 4.28 Å). The structure of the FeN film was studied by combining x-ray diffraction with Fe and N K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy and conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements. Self-diffusion of Fe and N was measured using secondary ion mass spectroscopy depth profiling in trilayer structures: [FeN(50 nm)/57FeN(2 nm)/FeN(50 nm)] and [FeN(50 nm)/Fe15N(2 nm)/FeN(50 nm)] deposited on an amorphous quartz substrate using reactive magnetron sputtering. It was found that atomic self-diffusion is strongly associated with thermal stability. Before reaching the phase decomposition temperature, the self-diffusion of N was found to be slower than Fe. Upon phase decomposition, both Fe and N diffuse rapidly, and at this stage, the self-diffusion of N takes over Fe. Within the thermally stable state, slower N diffusion indicates that Fe–N bonds are stronger than Fe–Fe bonds in FeN. This behavior was predicted theoretically and has been evidenced in this work.

Degradation Mechanism of Solution-Processed Organic Light-Emitting Diodes: Sputter Depth-Profile Study

We have studied the origin of degradation in solution-processed organic light-emitting diodes (s-OLEDs) by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS) depth profiling. Successful mechanical exfoliation of top cathode layers from degraded s-OLEDs and Ar gas cluster ion beam sputtering of remaining organic layer stack enabled us to probe chemical and positional changes at the relevant buried interfaces in the degraded device. Our XPS depth profile data showed that device operation induced migration of PEDOT in PEDOT:PSS layer toward the interface between hole transport layer (HTL) and emissive layer (EML), which lowers the hole injection efficiency and shifts the carrier recombination zone toward the interface. TOF-SIMS depth profile data showed that molecular decomposition occurred only in the EML after the device operation. These results depict a scenario in which migration of PEDOT lowers the hole injection efficiency which in turn shifts the recombination zone toward the mixed interface between HTL and EML, where an accumulation of excitons and hole polarons induces strong exciton-polaron quenching that results in molecular break down and device degradation.

AlCl3-Dosed Si(100)-2 × 1: Adsorbates, Chlorinated Al Chains, and Incorporated Al

The adsorption of AlCl$_{3}$ on Si(100) and the effect of annealing the AlCl$_{3}$-dosed substrate was studied to reveal key surface processes for the development of atomic-precision acceptor-doping techniques. This investigation was performed via scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. At room temperature, AlCl$_{3}$ readily adsorbed to the Si substrate dimers and dissociated to form a variety of species. Annealing of the AlCl$_{3}$-dosed substrate at temperatures below 450 $^{\circ}$C produced unique chlorinated aluminum chains (CACs) elongated along the Si(100) dimer row direction. An atomic model for the chains is proposed with supporting DFT calculations. Al was incorporated into the Si substrate upon annealing at 450 $^{\circ}$C and above, and Cl desorption was observed for temperatures beyond 450 $^{\circ}$C. Al-incorporated samples were encapsulated in Si and characterized by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiling to quantify the Al atom concentration, which was found to be in excess of 10$^{20}$ cm$^{-3}$ across a $\sim$2.7 nm thick $\delta$-doped region. The Al concentration achieved here and the processing parameters utilized promote AlCl$_{3}$ as a viable gaseous precursor for novel acceptor-doped Si materials and devices for quantum computing.

Synthesis and study of highly dense and smooth TiN thin films

This study aims towards a systematic reciprocity of the tunable synthesis parameters - partial pressure of N2 gas, ion energy (Ei) and Ti interface in TiN thin film samples deposited using ion beam sputtering at ambient temperature (300 K). At the optimum partial pressure of N2 gas, samples were prepared with or without Ti interface at Ei = 1.0 or 0.5 keV. They were characterized using x-ray reflectivity (XRR) to deduce thickness, roughness and density. The roughness of TiN thin films was found to be below 1 nm, when deposited at the lower Ei of 0.5 keV and when interfaced with a layer of Ti. Under these conditions, the density of TiN sample reaches to 5.80(±0.03) g cm−3, a value highest hitherto for any TiN sample. X-ray diffraction and electrical resistivity measurements were performed. It was found that the cumulative effect of the reduction in Ei from 1.0 to 0.5 keV and the addition of Ti interface favors (111) oriented growth leading to dense and smooth TiN films and a substantial reduction in the electrical resistivity. The reduction in Ei has been attributed to the surface kinetics mechanism (simulated using SRIM) where the available energy of the sputtered species (<Esp>) leaving the target at Ei = 0.5 keV is the optimum value favoring the growth of defects free homogeneously distributed films. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy depth profile measurements confirm the uniform distribution of N and Ti across the depth of a sample. The electronic structure of samples was probed using N K-edge and Ti L-edge absorption spectroscopy and the information about the crystal field and spin-orbit splitting confirmed TiN phase formation. In essence, through this work, we demonstrate the role of <Esp> and Ti interface in achieving highly dense and smooth TiN thin films with low resistivity without the need of a high temperature or substrate biasing during the thin film deposition process.

Electrically active and hydrogen passivated Zn in GaAs/AlGaAs specifically distinguished during secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling

A novel method of measuring active and hydrogen-passivated (inactive) impurity depth profiles using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry.

Secondary ion mass spectrometry and atomic force microscopy analysis of silver-doped diamond-like carbon films on titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) for possible biomedical application

The increase in the biointegration speed of titanium alloys is an important factor in the recovery and quality of life after an implant. The coating of these materials with thin films using plasma technologies is a viable alternative that can change the surface properties without changing the bulk properties. In this work, Diamond-like Carbon films doped with silver nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of Ti6Al4V alloys using a conjugate reactor, which uses Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition technique associated with a silver hollow cathode. The flow of argon was varied (from 20 to 80 sccm) to evaluate its influence on surface roughness and biointegration. Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry depth profile showed the effectiveness of the hollow cathode to form a silver concentration gradient from the substrate up to the film surface, which is desirable in biomedical applications. Atomic Force Microscopy detected that increasing argon flow from 20 to 80 sccm produced a more acicular relief and promoted an increase in sp3 hybridization, which characterizes films with better adhesion and mechanical resistance, as well as biomedical applications in which the material is subjected to load-bearing and wear. These results indicated the possibility of tuning the film roughness according to its biomedical application. The results of in vivo tests suggested that silver doping in Diamond-like Carbon films promoted faster biointegration than non-doped Diamond-like Carbon films and indicated the potential for their applicability in medical prosthetic materials.

High-precision processing method for an aluminum mirror assisted with a femtosecond laser.

At present, aluminum-based optical payloads are widely used in the aviation and aerospace field, and the demand for aluminum mirrors has become increasingly urgent in the visible light region. The main processing of an aluminum alloy mirror involves single-point diamond turning followed by a combined polishing process. Among these processes, magnetorheological finishing (MRF) is an important method for improving a surface figure. During the MRF process, excessive impurity contaminants are introduced into the surface of the aluminum mirror, thereby reducing surface reflectivity. In this paper, theoretical analysis and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling were used to obtain the cause of pollution, and the process scheme of femtosecond laser cleaning was proposed. After verifying the feasibility, a new, to the best of our knowledge, process route was implemented on a Φ50mm aluminum mirror. Finally, the surface figure of RMS 0.022λ and the surface roughness of Ra 3.24 nm were obtained. In addition, reflectance in the visible light and near-infrared bands has increased by about 50%.

Impact of silver incorporation at the back contact of Kesterite solar cells on structural and device properties

In the development of kesterite copper zinc tin selenide (CZTSe) thin-film solar cells, the realization of absorber layers with large grains and suppression of unwanted secondary phases have always been important aspects. Incorporation of silver (Ag) in the CZTSe absorber can improve grain growth but also affects both the bulk and interface electronic properties. In this work, the Ag layer was incorporated at the back contact of vacuum-processed CZTSe solar cells and its impact on the absorber growth and overall device performance was investigated. The concentration of Ag in the absorber was varied by changing the thickness of the Ag layer at the bottom of the copper-zinc-tin (CZT) precursor. We found that the grain size in the absorber significantly increased with increasing Ag layer thickness. We further investigated the phase and morphology evolution during annealing of the CZT precursor in selenium atmosphere, both with and without the Ag layer present. Using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, we demonstrated that Ag incorporation induced a fast formation of larger grains in the early stages, which could be attributed to the formation of a silver selenide (Ag–Se) liquid phase. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiles revealed a homogeneous distribution of Ag across the absorber. An improved power conversion efficiency was obtained for very thin (10 nm) Ag layers – due to an increase in the open-circuit voltage and fill-factor – while thicker layers deteriorate the device properties, mainly due to an increased series resistance. Therefore, the incorporation of small amounts of Ag is suggested to be useful to improve the absorber morphology of CZTSe solar cells while the electronic properties suffer from too high quantities.

Connecting the density distribution and segmental dynamics of confined polymer films

Polymers show a lot of anomalous behavior when they are confined by the thickness. In this work, we focus on the relation between the density and the segmental dynamics for confined polymer films of poly-(4-chlorostyrene) -P4ClS- and Poly(2-Vinylpyridine) -P2VP-. When confined by its thickness, the dynamics of P4ClS films is found to increase until it reaches the thickness of around 10 nm. Then, at 10 nm, it shows again the bulk-like behavior, which is attributed to the dominating substrate interaction that hinders the faster dynamics induced by the free surface. Whereas, the P2VP film showed bulk like dynamics at a thickness of 24 nm. The polymer density distribution followed by using Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF SIMS) depth profiling suggests that there can be diverse underlying mechanisms for obtaining faster dynamics in films at a thickness between 110 and 10 nm.

Explanation of the apparent depth resolution improvement by SIMS using cluster ion detection

The apparent improvement of the depth resolution in secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiles using cluster secondary ions (Me2+, Me3+) as compared to single ion profiles (Me+) is explained to be an artifact caused by an attractive interaction enhancing cluster formation. Successful application of the mixing-roughness-information depth model shows how different profiles are interconnected and discloses that the depth resolutions of single ion and cluster ion profiles are in fact identical.

New Ti-in-quartz diffusivities reconcile natural Ti zoning with time scales and temperatures of upper crustal magma reservoirs

Abstract Titanium-in-quartz thermometry and diffusion chronometry are routinely applied to felsic magmatic systems. These techniques can be used to determine for how long, and at what temperatures, shallow crustal magmatic systems remain partially molten, both of which are fundamental for assessing volcanic hazards. We have conducted new Ti-in-quartz diffusion experiments at 1 bar, in air, between 900 and 1490 °C, and analyzed the products by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiling. The results show that Ti diffusivity is two to three orders of magnitude lower than previously determined {log10D = –8.3 ± 0.4 m2 s–1 – [311 ± 12 kJ mol–1/(2.303RT)]}, where R is the universal gas constant (kJK–1 mol–1) and T is the temperature in Kelvin. Application of these new diffusivities brings time scales determined by Ti-in-quartz diffusion chronometry, using quartz primarily from ignimbrites, into agreement with those determined from zircon U-Pb ages from the Bishop Tuff system (California, USA). This indicates that quartz crystallized early and recorded all, or much of, the thermal history of this magmatic system. These new data also show that sharp Ti zoning profiles can be maintained in quartz within slowly cooled rocks without necessitating that the quartz crystallization temperature is significantly lower than the experimentally determined H2O-saturated granite solidus, or that such samples underwent ultrafast cooling, as has recently been proposed for the granitoids from the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite (California, USA). Finally, our data also indicate that, at least regarding the Bishop Tuff, temperatures must have remained at near-solidus conditions for the entire pre-eruptive evolution of the system, thus relaxing interpretations of “cold storage” for this magmatic system.

Formation of Wrinkle Structures on Styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene Films Using One-Step Ion-Beam Irradiation

We investigated the wrinkle formation on ion-beam (IB)-irradiated substrates coated with the thermoplastic elastomer styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene (SIS) and demonstrate a relation of the wrinkle structure and the newly formed top layer induced by IB. IB irradiation led to polymer crosslinking on the surface, thereby forming a new skin layer, a finding which was supported by an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, Young's moduli calculated using force-distance curves, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling. The wrinkle wavelength increased according to the irradiation time, which indicates that the latter mainly increased the thickness of the crosslinking layer. The increase in the wrinkle wavelength varied from 420 to 670 nm by changing the IB irradiation time. In this paper, we present not only the expectation of wrinkle fabrication using our method, but also the possibility of choosing diverse materials such as the thermoplastic elastomer SIS for fabrication of wrinkle structures.

Oxygen diffusion in oxide thin films grown on SrTiO3

$\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ thin films were grown on $^{18}\mathrm{O}$-exchanged $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ single crystalline substrates by pulsed-laser deposition, rf sputtering, and oxide molecular-beam epitaxy to study their oxygen diffusion depth profiles using secondary ion mass spectrometry and elastic recoil detection analysis depth profiling. The oxygen depth profiling shows that $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ films prepared with the three different deposition techniques will take oxygen from the substrate, even at room temperature. This confirms that the substrate is one possible oxygen source for the growth of oxide thin films independent of the physical vapor deposition technique employed. It was also found that a reactive oxygen environment changes the oxygen composition of the substrate during the growth of a film and partly replaces $^{18}\mathrm{O}$ with $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ up to a depth of several tens of nm. These findings imply that $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ and therefore other ion conducting oxide substrates, which are commonly used as platforms for thin film growth, can be considered capricious in nature with respect to oxygen chemistry and lattice constants.

Synthesis of MnSb2O6 powders through a simple low-temperature method and their test as a gas sensor

In this work, a simple and economical chemical method was used to synthesize MnSb2O6 nanoparticles for their potential application as a gas sensor. The nanoparticles of the oxide were analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction, finding the crystalline phase at 600 °C. The crystallized oxide presented a hexagonal crystalline structure with spatial group P321. The microstructure of the material was analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, finding surface morphologies such as micro-plates, microspheres (diameter ~ 0.69 μm), and other particles without apparent shape. The average size of the nanoparticles was estimated at ~ 32.0 nm, according to images obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Oxidation states of the atomic elements forming the MnSb2O6 nanoparticles were found by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. In the case of Mn, two oxidation states Mn2+ and Mn3+ corresponding to the Mn 2p3/2 state were observed at 641.26 and 642.7 eV, respectively. For Sb, the Sb3+ oxidation state, associated with the Sb 3d3/2 state, was located at 539.82 eV. The peak assigned to O at 530.82 eV overlaps the Sb 3d5/2. The secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling showed a good distribution of the atomic elements in the nanoparticles, without additional elements or impurities. The optical properties were also studied by photoacoustic spectroscopy, revealing a direct transition of the MnSb2O6 nanoparticles with a band gap energy of 1.78 eV. The gas detection tests were performed in C3H8 and CO atmospheres at different concentrations and operating temperatures. The oxide showed an interesting behavior as the concentrations of the testing gases and the operating temperature increased. The high response presented by the MnSb2O6 suggests that this material can be used as a gas sensor.