Influence of praseodymium content and postdeposition annealing on the structural and sensing characteristics of PrTixOy sensing films using the sol-gel spin-coating method

摘要

In this paper, we developed a low-cost, simple and rapid fabrication method for a PrTixOy electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sensor using the sol-gel spin-coating technique. The influence of praseodymium content and postdeposition annealing on the structural and sensing properties of PrTixOy sensing membranes was investigated. X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to investigate the structural, morphological and chemical features of these films, respectively, as functions of the growth conditions (Pr concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 M; temperatures ranging from 700 to 900 degrees C). The observed structural properties were then correlated with the resulting pH sensing performances. The PrTixOy EIS device prepared under a Pr concentration of 0.2 M, with subsequent annealing at 800 degrees C, exhibited the best sensing characteristics, including pH sensitivity, hysteresis and drift. We attribute this behaviour to the optimal praseodymium content and annealing temperature in this sensing film forming a well-crystallized Pr2TiO5 structure and a rougher surface.