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Methane detection scheme based upon the changing optical constants of a zinc oxide/platinum matrix created by a redox reaction and their effect upon surface plasmons

  • Thomas Allsop
  • , Vojtěch Kundrat
  • , Kyriacos Kalli
  • , Graham B. Lee
  • , Ron Neal
  • , Peter Bond
  • , Baogul Shi
  • , John Sullivan
  • , Phil Culverhouse
  • , David J. Webb
  • Cyprus University of Technology
  • Plymouth University
  • Aston University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

We detect changes in the optical properties of a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS), ZnO, in a multi-thin-film matrix with platinum in the presence of the hydrocarbon gas methane. A limit of detection of 2% by volume with concentrations from 0 to 10% and maximum resolution of 0.15% with concentrations ranging from 30% to 80% at room temperature are demonstrated along with a selective chemical response to methane over carbon dioxide and the other alkane gases. The device yields the equivalent maximum bulk refractive index spectral sensitivity of 1.8 × 105 nm/RIU. This is the first time that the optical properties of MOS have been monitored to detect the presence of a specific gas. This single observation is a significant result, as MOS have a potentially large number of target gases, thus offering a new paradigm for gas sensing using MOSs.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to) 843-853
JournalSensors and Actuators, B: Chemical
Volume255
Issue number1
Early online date23 Aug 2017
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2018

Bibliographical note

© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Funding: Grants EP/J010413 and EP/J010391 for Aston University and University of Plymouth from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Keywords

  • localized surface plasmons
  • metal oxide semiconductors
  • optical sensing
  • gas sensing
  • fibre optics

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