Ultrathin TiO2 Films Research Articles

Assembling Fe4 single-molecule magnets on a TiO2 monolayer.

The decoration of technologically relevant surfaces, such as metal oxides, with Single-Molecule Magnets (SMMs) constitutes a persistent challenge for the integration of these molecular systems into novel technologies and, in particular, for the development of spintronic and quantum devices. We used UHV thermal sublimation to deposit tetrairon(III) propeller-shaped SMMs (Fe4) as a single layer on a TiO2 ultrathin film grown on Cu(001). The properties of the molecular deposit were studied using a multi-technique approach based on standard topographic and spectroscopic measurements, which demonstrated that molecules remain largely intact upon deposition. Ultralow temperature X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) with linearly and circularly polarized light was further employed to evaluate both the molecular organization and the magnetic properties of the Fe4 monolayer. X-ray Natural Linear Dichroism (XNLD) and X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD) showed that molecules in a monolayer display a preferential orientation and an open magnetic hysteresis with pronounced quantum tunnelling steps up to 900 mK. However, unexpected extra features in the XAS and XMCD spectra disclosed a minority fraction of altered molecules, suggesting that the TiO2 film may be chemically non-innocent. The observed persistence of SMM behaviour on a metal oxide thin film opens new possibilities for the development of SMM-based hybrid systems.

Tailoring crystallisation of anatase TiO2 ultra-thin films grown by atomic layer deposition using 2D oxides as growth template

TiO2 ultrathin films are required in many material research areas. The anatase phase was found to be more stable in case of atomic layer deposition growth, nevertheless a critical thickness of around 10 nm appears necessary to obtain crystallization on native silicon oxide on Si (001). This work focuses on direct liquid injection Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) of TiO2 films with thicknesses about some nanometers, using titanium tetra-isopropoxide as precursor and H2O as oxidant. A particular care to the treatment of ellipsometric measurements is employed. Below the threshold value, films remain amorphous unless the growth starts onto a crystalized surface, a thick TiO2 layer in our case. Here we propose and show the efficiency of 2-dimensional (2D) [Ca2Nb3O10]− and [Ti0.865O2]0.54− nanosheets as seeds at the surface for the crystallization and epitaxy of ultra-thin films of TiO2 below the critical thickness. Furthermore, we show that the structure of the 2D nanosheets determines the growth orientation of the epitaxial anatase, namely (010) for [Ti0.865O2]0.54−, and (100) for [Ca2Nb3O10]−. These results, based on the tailoring of crystal anisotropy via adapted 2D seed nanosheets and low temperature ALD, opens the way for opto-electronics applications of titanium oxide layers of a few unit cells.

Interfacial States in Au/Reduced TiO2 Plasmonic Photocatalysts Quench Hot-Carrier Photoactivity.

Understanding the interface of plasmonic nanostructures is essential for improving the performance of photocatalysts. Surface defects in semiconductors modify the dynamics of charge carriers, which are not well understood yet. Here, we take advantage of scanning photoelectrochemical microscopy (SPECM) as a fast and effective tool for detecting the impact of surface defects on the photoactivity of plasmonic hybrid nanostructures. We evidenced a significant photoactivity activation of TiO2 ultrathin films under visible light upon mild reduction treatment. Through Au nanoparticle (NP) arrays deposited on different reduced TiO2 films, the plasmonic photoactivity mapping revealed the effect of interfacial defects on hot charge carriers, which quenched the plasmonic activity by (i) increasing the recombination rate between hot charge carriers and (ii) leaking electrons (injected and generated in TiO2) into the Au NPs. Our results show that the catalyst's photoactivity depends on the concentration of surface defects and the population distribution of Au NPs. The present study unlocks the fast and simple detection of the surface engineering effect on the photocatalytic activity of plasmonic semiconductor systems.

Uniform deposition of ultra-thin TiO2 film on mica substrate by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition: Effect of precursor concentration

The performance of pearlescent pigment significantly affected by the grain size and the roughness of deposited film. The effect of TiCl4 concentration on the initial deposition of TiO2 on mica by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) was investigated. The precursor concentration significantly affected the deposition and morphology of TiO2 grains assembling the film. The deposition time for fully covering the surface of mica decreased from 120 to 10 s as the TiCl4 concentration increased from 0.38% to 2.44%. The grain size increased with the TiCl4 concentration. The AFM and TEM analysis demonstrated that the aggregation of TiO2 clusters at the initial stage finally result to the agglomeration of fine TiO2 grains at high TiCl4 concentrations. Following the results, it was suggested that the nucleation density and size was easy to be adjusted when the TiCl4 concentration is below 0.90%.

Magnetron sputtering ultra-thin TiO2 films for photocatalytic reduction of uranium

A series of pretreatment processes of seawater desalination provide a clean and relatively stable environment for uranium(VI) (U(VI)) extraction from seawater. The continuous supply of U(VI) leads to an ideal scenario for the application of photocatalytic U(VI) extraction. In this paper, TiO2 films were prepared on the surface of fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) by magnetron sputtering, and a combined device for seawater uranium extraction and desalination was designed. TiO2/FTO films demonstrate efficient and stable U(VI) processing capacity with the uranium extraction ratio reaches 99.98 % and the extraction amount is as high as 15,115.33 mg/g after 60 min of illumination. Under UV light irradiation, the continuous uranium extraction ratio of TiO2/FTO reached more than 70 % after 5.0 min intervals, and the cumulative uranium extraction mass reached 71.13 mg/g after 60 min in 200 mL at 50 μg/L. Simultaneously, the sterilization ratio reached 99.39 % after UV irradiation for 5.0 min. In conclusion, TiO2/FTO has the prospect of synergistic application of seawater uranium extraction and seawater desalination.

Sputtered Ultrathin TiO2 as Electron Transport Layer in Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cell Technology.

This work presents the implementation of ultrathin TiO2 films, deposited at room temperature by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering, as electron-selective contacts in silicon heterojunction solar cells. The effect of the working pressure on the properties of the TiO2 layers and its subsequent impact on the main parameters of the device are studied. The material characterization revealed an amorphous structure regardless of the working pressure; a rougher surface; and a blue shift in bandgap in the TiO2 layer deposited at the highest-pressure value of 0.89 Pa. When incorporated as part of the passivated full-area electron contact in silicon heterojunction solar cell, the chemical passivation provided by the intrinsic a-Si:H rapidly deteriorates upon the sputtering of the ultra-thin TiO2 films, although a short anneal is shown to restore much of the passivation lost. The deposition pressure and film thicknesses proved to be critical for the efficiency of the devices. The film thicknesses below 2 nm are necessary to reach open-circuit values above 660 mV, regardless of the deposition pressure. More so, the fill-factor showed a strong dependence on deposition pressure, with the best values obtained for the highest deposition pressure, which we correlated to the porosity of the films. Overall, these results show the potential to fabricate silicon solar cells with a simple implementation of electron-selective TiO2 contact deposited by magnetron sputtering. These results show the potential to fabricate silicon solar cells with a simple implementation of electron-selective TiO2 contact.

Doped TiO2slabs for water splitting: a DFT study

AbstractThe realization of water splitting at a commercial scale is one of the major obstacles to the development of a viable and long-term hydrogen economy. In this regard 3d-transition metals (TMs) doped anatase TiO2slabs are investigated to understand the role of magnetism in water splitting using density functional theory (DFT). The structural stability of various 3d-TMs (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) doped in TiO2ultrathin films have been investigated. The electronic band structures show that the doping of 3d-TMs makes the bandgap of TiO2narrow which leads to the improvement of photo-reactivity as well as maintains the strong redox potential. The large magnetic moment of Fe- and Mn-doped slabs indicates that high charge transfer to water molecules with low adsorption energy. The results demonstrate that V, Fe, and Co doping makes the slabs ferromagnetic (FM), whereas Cr, Mn, Ni, and Cu doping makes the slabs non-magnetic. The water molecule is placed on each FM slab and their splitting behavior has been analyzed thoroughly. It was concluded that magnetism does not affect water splitting.

HAADF STEM and Ab Initio Calculations Investigation of Anatase TiO2/LaAlO3 Heterointerface

The understanding of the origin of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the surface of anatase TiO2 remains a challenging issue. In particular, in TiO2 ultra-thin films, it is extremely difficult to distinguish intrinsic effects, due to the physics of the TiO2, from extrinsic effects, such as those arising from structural defects, dislocations, and the presence of competing phases at the film/substrate interface. It is, therefore, mandatory to unambiguously ascertain the structure of the TiO2/substrate interface. In this work, by combining high angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM), density functional theory calculations, and multislice image simulations, we have investigated the nature of strainless anatase TiO2 thin films grown on LaAlO3 substrate. In particular, the presence of oxygen vacancies in anatase TiO2 has been proved to stabilize the formation of an extra alloy layer, Ti2AlO4, by means of interface rearrangement. Our results, therefore, elucidate why the growth of anatase TiO2 directly on LaAlO3 substrate has required the deposition of a TiOx extra-layer to have a 2DEG established, thus confirming the absence of a critical thickness for the TiO2 to stabilize a 2DEG at its surface. These findings provide fundamental insights on the underlying formation mechanism of the 2DEG in TiO2/LAO hetero-interfaces to engineer the 2DEG formation in anatase TiO2 for tailored applications.

TiO2/Cu2O/CuO Multi-Nanolayers as Sensors for H2 and Volatile Organic Compounds: An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation.

TiO2/Cu2O/CuO multi-nanolayers highly sensitive toward volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and H2 have been grown in various thicknesses by a cost-effective and reproducible combined spray-sputtering-annealing approach. The ultrathin TiO2 films were deposited by spray pyrolysis on top of sputtered-annealed Cu2O/CuO nanolayers to enhance their gas sensing performance and improve their protection against corrosion at high operating temperatures. The prepared heterostructures were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and ultraviolet visible (UV-vis) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The gas sensing properties were measured at several operating temperatures, where the nanolayered sensors with oxide thicknesses between 20 and 30 nm (Cu2O/CuO nanolayers) exhibited a high response and an excellent selectivity to ethanol vapor after thermal annealing the samples at 420 °C. The results obtained at an operating temperature of 350 °C demonstrate that the CuO/Cu2O nanolayers with thicknesses between 20 and 30 nm are sensitive mainly to ethanol vapor, with a response of ∼150. The response changes from ethanol vapors to hydrogen gas as the thickness of the CuO/Cu2O nanolayers changes from 50 to 20 nm. Density functional theory-based calculations were carried out for the geometries of the CuO(1̅11)/Cu2O(111) and TiO2(111)/CuO(1̅11)/Cu2O(111) heterostructures and their sensing mechanism toward alcohols of different chain lengths and molecular hydrogen. The reconstructed hexagonal Cu2O(111) surface and the reconstructed monoclinic CuO(1̅11) and TiO2(111) facets, all of which terminate in an O layer, lead to the lowest surface energies for each isolated material. We studied the formation of the binary and ternary heteroepitaxial interfaces for the surface planes with the best-matching lattices. Despite the impact of the Cu2O(111) substrate in lowering the atomic charges of the CuO(1̅11) adlayer in the binary sensor, we found that it is the different surface structures of the CuO(1̅11)/Cu2O(111) and TiO2(111)/CuO(1̅11)/Cu2O(111) devices that are fundamental in driving the change in the sensitivity response observed experimentally. The experimental data, supported by the computational results, are important in understanding the use of the multi-nanolayered films tested in this work as reliable, accurate, and selective sensor structures for the tracking of gases at low concentrations.

Quasi-Hexagonal to Lepidocrocite-like Transition in TiO2 Ultrathin Films on Cu(001)

The structure and growth mechanism of TiO2 ultrathin films on Cu(001) were investigated by experimental and theoretical studies. Multiple experimental techniques, including photoemission spectroscopies and scanning probe microscopy, were used to carefully characterize the chemical, electronic, and morphological structure of the metal oxide layer. A complete and flat TiO2 bilayer with a lepidocrocite-like structure is observed at the earliest stages of its growth on the Cu(001) surface under controlled experimental conditions. The employed multitechnique approach reveals that a transition between two different structures of the TiO2 film, that is, the quasi-hexagonal and lepidocrocite-like structure, occurs as a function of the coverage passing from one to two monolayers. Ab initio calculations indicate that the lepidocrocite-like structure is thermodynamically more stable on Cu(001) than the quasi-hexagonal one, thus supporting the observed transition.

Decomposition of dimethyl methylphosphonate vapor on ultrathin-film titania photocatalytic light absorber

The decomposition of chemical warfare agent simulant, dimethyl methylphophonate (DMMP) vapor, was investigated on an ultrathin film titania (TiO2) photocatalytic light absorber. The light absorber contains an aluminum (Al) reflector and the TiO2 thin film with different thicknesses, sequentially deposited on a supportive glass substrate. The designed structure constructs a nanocavity that exhibits strong light absorption within the photocatalytic TiO2 ultrathin film. Thus, the intrinsic trade-off between optical absorption and charge carrier extraction efficiency, i.e., a light absorber should be thick enough to absorb the light allowable by its band gap but thin enough to allow charge carrier extraction for catalytic reactions, is conquered. The TiO2/Al light absorber significantly boosted TiO2 photocatalytic activity compared to the benchmark Aeroxide®P25 catalyst (i.e., up to 2013 times increase in reaction rate). The effects of reactant (i.e. DMMP, water and oxygen, respectively) partial pressure and reaction temperature on photocatalytic decomposition of DMMP by the ultrathin-film TiO2 photocatalytic light absorber were studied. Kinetic data of the DMMP decomposition can be described by the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model.

High-performance perovskite photodetectors based on CH3NH3PbBr3 quantum dot/TiO2 heterojunction

Organo-lead halide perovskite materials have opened up a great opportunity to develop high performance photodetectors because of their superior optoelectronic properties. The main issue with perovskite-only photodetector is severe carrier recombination. Integration of perovskite with high-conductive materials such as graphene or transition metal sulfides certainly improved the photoresponsivity. However, achieving high overall performance remains a challenge. Here, an improved photodetector is constructed by perovskite quantum dots (QDs) and atomic layer deposited ultrathin TiO2 films. The designed CH3NH3PbBr3 QD/TiO2 bilayer device displays inclusive performance with on/off ratio of 6.3 × 102, responsivity of 85 A W−1, and rise/decay time of 0.09/0.11 s. Furthermore, we demonstrate that interface plays a crucial role in determining the device current and enhance the overall performance of heterostructure photodetector through interface engineering. We believe that this work can provide a strategy to accelerate development of high-performance solution-processed perovskite photodetectors.

Thickness Measurement of Ultra-thin TiO2 Films by Mutual Calibration Method

Thickness Measurement of Ultra-thin TiO2 Films by Mutual Calibration Method

Atomic layer deposition-strengthened lithiophilicity of ultrathin TiO2 film decorated Cu foil for stable lithium metal anode

Uncontrolled dendrite growth hinders the applications of Li metal anode in rechargeable batteries, even if it possesses the highest energy density among anode materials. Uniform Li deposition is the key to solve this problem, but it is difficult to achieve on planar electrode surface. In this study, an ultrathin TiO2 film directly coating on a planar Cu current collector is prepared by atomic Layer deposition (ALD). The lithiophilic nature of the TiO2 film reduces the Li nucleation overpotential, ensuring uniform Li nucleation and continuous smooth Li deposition, which is hardly realized on the most commonly used lithiophobic planar Cu current collector. Consequently, a high columbic efficiency of 97.4% for 100 cycles at a current density of 1 mA cm−2 and a prolonged lifespan of symmetric and Li–LiFePO4 full cells can be achieved. This work provides a simple and effective way to stabilize Li metal anode.

Simulation of Biologic Synapse Through Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Memristors Using Novel Ti-Based Maleic Acid/TiO2 Ultrathin Films

In this letter, biologic synaptic functions of organic-inorganic hybrid memristors using novel Ti-based maleic acid (Ti-MA)/TiO2 ultrathin films have been demonstrated. The memristive functional layer consists of 4-nm Ti-MA and 4-nm TiO2, which was fabricated at 160° C by molecular layer deposition (MLD)/atomic layer deposition (ALD), respectively. A typical bipolar resistive switching characteristic has been confirmed in the TaN/Ti-MA/TiO2/Pt bilayer memristors with the space charge limited current model. Using different electrical pulse modules, several important biologic synaptic functions such as nonlinear transmission characteristics, short-/long-term plasticity, paired-pulse facilitation, and spike-timing-dependent plasticity have been achieved. The organic-inorganic hybrid memristors of ultrathin bilayer Ti-MA/TiO2 derived by low temperature MLD/ALD are attractive for neuromorphic simulation and flexible neuroscience applications.

Comparison of chemical stability and corrosion resistance of group IV metal oxide films formed by thermal and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition

The wide applications of ultrathin group IV metal oxide films (TiO2, ZrO2 and HfO2) probably expose materials to potentially reactive etchants and solvents, appealing for extraordinary chemical stability and corrosion resistance property. In this paper, TiO2 ultrathin films were deposited on Si at 200 °C while ZrO2 and HfO2 were grown at 250 °C to fit their growth temperature window, by thermal atomic layer deposition (TALD) and plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD). A variety of chemical liquid media including 1 mol/L H2SO4, 1 mol/L HCl, 1 mol/L KOH, 1 mol/L KCl, and 18 MΩ deionized water were used to test and compare chemical stability of all these as-deposited group IV metal oxides thin films, as well as post-annealed samples at various temperatures. Among these metal oxides, TALD/PEALD HfO2 ultrathin films exhibit the best chemical stability and anti-corrosion property without any change in thickness after long time immersion into acidic, alkaline and neutral solutions. As-deposited TALD ZrO2 ultrathin films have slow etch rate of 1.06 nm/day in 1 mol/L HCl, however other PEALD ZrO2 ultrathin films and annealed TALD ones show better anti-acid stability, indicating the role of introduction of plasma O2 in PEALD and post-thermal treatment. As-deposited TiO2 ultrathin films by TALD and PEALD are found to be etched slowly in acidic solutions, but the PEALD can decrease the etching rate of TiO2 by ~41%. After post-annealing, TiO2 ultrathin films have satisfactory corrosion resistance, which is ascribed to the crystallization transition from amorphous to anatase phase and the formation of 5% Si-doped TiO2 ultrathin layers on sample surfaces, i.e. Ti-silicate. ZrO2, and TiO2 ultrathin films show excellent corrosion endurance property in basic and neutral solutions. Simultaneously, 304 stainless steel coated with PEALD-HfO2 is found to have a lower corrosion rate than that with TALD-HfO2 by means of electrochemical measurement. The pre-treatment of plasma H2 to 304 stainless steel can effectively reduce interfacial impurities and porosity of overlayers with significantly enhanced corrosion endurance. Above all, the chemical stability and anti-corrosion properties of IV group metal oxide coatings can be improved by using PEALD technique, post-annealing process and plasma H2 pre-treatment to substrates.

Effect of noble metal functionalization and film thickness on sensing properties of sprayed TiO2 ultra-thin films

In this paper, the effect of the thickness of nano-structured TiO2 thin films (12–40 nm) and successive deposition of different noble metal nanoparticles on the performances of propanol vapor and H2 gas sensors was investigated. The obtained titania thin films were integrated into a device for UV, gas, and gas/vapor sensing studies at different operating temperatures. Qualitative analysis revealed that the sensor selectivity and its response could be altered by film thickness and type of noble metal nanoparticles. The results indicate that the sensor with 40 nm TiO2 film has the highest response to H2 gas (˜ 650%). The fastest response time and the most rapid recovery however were achieved by the sensors made of 12 nm sprayed TiO2 ultra-thin films, which also offered the highest selectivity to H2 gas.The best UV detection performances were demonstrated by films functionalized with Au nanoparticles (the IUV/Idark ≈ 80). The structural, chemical, electrical, UV, and gas sensing properties of such films were investigated using SEM, AFM, Raman spectroscopy, electrical characterization, and sensing experiments. It has been clearly demonstrated that films are nanostructured and have mixed phases that contain mostly anatase (annealed at 450 °C) and small amounts of rutile after thermal annealing at higher temperatures (more than 600 °C), as improved materials for sensor applications. Our combined study analyzes the relationship between thickness, electrical properties and the gas/vapor sensing performance of such thin film based TiO2 gas sensors as well as the effect of different types of noble metal nanoparticles (Au, Ag, Ag-Au and Ag-Pt) deposited on the surface. The enhanced response was attributed to the involvement of noble nanoalloy or nanoparticle interface to titania forming nano-junctions in the gas sensing mechanism. Highly selective and sensitive sensors towards specific gas or vapor molecules are essential for environmental monitoring, and for health and safety issues.

Formula omitted] ion bombardment effect on the band gap of anatase TiO2 ultrathin films

We report a study of the effect of nitrogen ion bombardment on the optical properties of anatase TiO2 ultrathin films, particularly the band gap energy. The TiO2 films were prepared by a sol-gel method and dip-coating process. The as-prepared TiO2 films were then exposed to a N2+ low-energy ion beam from a microwave electron cyclotron resonance (ESR) ion source. Raman and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) analysis were performed on TiO2 films prepared at different N2+ exposure times. The Raman measurements reveal the conservation of the anatase TiO2 crystalline structure after the ion beam exposure. From a detailed ellipsometric study, the thickness of layers, the dielectric function, the band gap and the Urbach energies were determined. The obtained results show an increase of the TiO2 band gap with the decrease of thickness of films during N2+ exposure time. The band gap energy was blue shifted from 20 meV to 140 meV as the exposure time was increased from 5 min to 20 min when the thickness was decreased from 30 nm to 21 nm. This increasing of band gap energy could be explained by the thickness effect. From the band tail, the Urbach energy was also affected by N2+ ion beam. These results are in good agreement with the observed broadending of the Raman band the OTiO bending vibration mode, as the exposure time increases.

Stable high-performance perovskite solar cells based on inorganic electron transporting bi-layers

As one of the significant electron transporting materials (ETMs) in efficient planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells (PSCs), SnO2 can collect/transfer photo-generated carriers produced in perovskite active absorbers and suppress the carrier recombination at interfaces. In this study, we demonstrate that a mild solution-processed SnO2 compact layer can be an eminent ETM for planar heterojunction PSCs. Here, the device based on chemical-bath-deposited SnO2 electron transporting layer (ETL) exhibits a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.10% and with obvious hysteresis effect (hysteresis index = 19.5%), owing to the accumulation and recombination of charge carriers at the SnO2/perovskite interface. In order to improve the carrier dissociation and transport process, an ultrathin TiO2 film was deposited on the top of the SnO2 ETL passivating nonradiative recombination center. The corresponding device based on the TiO2@SnO2 electron transporting bi-layer (ETBL) exhibited a high PCE (17.45%) and a negligible hysteresis effect (hysteresis index = 1.5%). These findings indicate that this facile solution-processed TiO2@SnO2 ETBL paves a scalable and inexpensive way for fabricating hysteresis-less and high-performance PSCs.

Ultra-thin TiO2 films by atomic layer deposition and surface functionalization with Au nanodots for sensing applications

The massive application requests for high-performance sensors indicate on the importance of precise controlling of the semiconducting oxide characteristics. The sensor longevity needed for the remote areas in harsh environments is mandatory and can benefit greatly from self-cleaning abilities. To serve this demand, we present in our work ultra-thin TiO2 films deposited with different thicknesses down to 15 nm on glass substrates using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The morphological, chemical, topographic, electronic and chemical properties of the fabricated films were investigated in detail, showing the presence of the anatase phase. As it is known by the literature, the UV and gas sensing properties are highly dependent on the thickness of the films, however fully reversible and capable of long term detection. Thinner films (15 nm) showed higher UV and gas sensing performances than thicker films (45 nm), which was related to the film thickness comparable to the Debye length. Further improvement in the UV sensing properties was achieved by surface functionalization of TiO2 films with Au nanoparticles. The UV response increased by about one order of magnitude after the surface functionalization with Au nanoclusters/nanoparticles. All TiO2 ultra-thin films demonstrated good selectivity to hydrogen gas, independent of the thickness. The samples with 15 nm thickness showed a response of ~ 600% to 100 ppm of H2 at 250 °C operating temperature. The presented study demonstrates the importance of the film thickness and surface functionalization with noble metals nanoclusters for sensing applications of ultra-thin TiO2 layers. Such ultra-thin films could be used for the development of a series of integrated detectors and chemical field effect transistors (chemFETs) directly on highly complex chips.