Investigation of Degassing Methods for CNT Thin Film Gas Sensors

초록

It is well known that the conductance of carbon nanotube(CNT) is highly sensitive to NH3 and NO2 gases. Although the CNT gas sensors have good sensing properties to specific gas molecules the refresh time due to degassing needs to be improve for commercial gas sensor applications. Absorbed gas molecules require some amount of activation energy for desorbtion from the trap sites on CNT surfaces. Conventionally, we have applied activation energy by heat treatment or UV irradiation. Here, we have investigated degassing characteristics of the trapped gas molecules at the CNT surfaces depending on the applied electric field strength through the CNT film. Interdigitated electrode patterns were fabricated and formed under the CNT thin film. High electric field was applied to the electrode pattern from 10V to 100V. We compared the refresh characteristics of the CNT sensors with various applied field.