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

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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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