Helena Wingbrant

Influence of surface oxides on hydrogen-sensitive Pd : GaN Schottky diodes

The hydrogen response of Pd:GaN Schottky diodes, prepared by in situ and ex situ deposition of catalytic Pd Schottky contacts on Si-doped GaN layers is compared. Ex situ fabricated devices show a sensitivity towards molecular hydrogen, which is about 50 times higher than for in situ deposited diodes. From the analysis of these results, we conclude that adsorption sites for atomic hydrogen in Pd:GaN sensors are provided by an oxidic intermediate layer. In addition, in situ deposited Pd Schottky contacts reveal lower barrier heights and drastically higher reverse currents. We suggest that the passivation of the GaN surface before ex situ deposition of Pd also results in quenching of leakage paths caused by structural defects.

Using a MISiC-FET sensor for detecting NH/sub 3/ in SCR systems

One way to decrease the emitted levels of NO/sub x/ from diesel engines is to add NH/sub 3/ in the form of urea to the exhausts after combustion. NH/sub 3/ will react with NO/sub x/ in the catalytic converter to form N/sub 2/ and water, which is called selective catalytic reduction (SCR). The amount of NH/sub 3/ added may be regulated through closed-loop control by using an NH/sub 3/ sensor. The metal-insulator silicon-carbide field-effect transistor (MISiC-FET) sensor has previously been tested for this application and has been shown to be sensitive to NH/sub 3/. Here, the sensors have been further studied in engine SCR systems. Tests on the cross sensitivity to N/sub 2/O and NO/sub 2/, and studies concerning the influence of water vapor have been performed in the laboratory. The difference between Ir and Pt films, with regard to catalytic activity, has also been investigated. The sensors were found to be sensitive to NH/sub 3/ in diesel engine exhausts. The addition of urea was computer controlled, which made it possible to add NH/sub 3/ in a stair-like fashion to the system and detect it with the MISiC-FET sensors. The presence of water vapor was shown to have the largest effect on the sensors at low levels and the NH/sub 3/ response was slightly decreased by a background level of NO/sub 2/.

The speed of response of MISiCFET devices

The metal oxide silicon carbide field effect transistor (MISiCFET) sensor has several possible car engine applications, such as an ammonia sensor in selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems or as a lambda-sensitive device for enhancing catalytic converter efficiency. Both these applications involve closed loop control of the engine and thereby require fast sensors, that is why it is important to investigate the speed of response of the devices. The sensor consists of a SiC-based MOSFET device with a buried channel design and a catalytic gate metal, which makes it sensitive to a wide range of different gases. The selectivity and sensitivity of the sensor to a specific gas depends mainly on the choice of gate metal, its structure and the operating temperature. In this presentation, the speed of response of MISiCFET devices with many different gate metals at several operating temperatures are compared. The tests have been performed in the laboratory using the moving gas outlet (MGO) equipment. The equipment allows two gas outlets to move back and forth under the sensor, which makes it possible to change the atmosphere surrounding the sensor from synthetic air to the test gas quickly. The method is verified by changing the temperature of the device and frequency of the moving gas outlets. The test gas is either ammonia or hydrogen. The time constant of the sensors is shown to be very small; <100 ms when exposing a 25 nm porous Pt sensor to ammonia at 300 8C and <10 ms for a 10 nm TaSix 100 nm Pt device exposed to hydrogen. The temperature is found to have a large influence on the speed of response. The results show that the speed of response is well beyond the current requirements for use in both SCR and lambda control systems, respectively. # 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

New Materials for chemical and biosensors

ABSTRACT Wide band gap materials such as SiC, AlN, GaN, ZnO, and diamond have excellent properties such as high operation temperature when used as field effect devices and a high resonating frequency of the substrate materials used in piezoelectric resonator devices. Integration of FET and resonating sensors on the same chip enables powerful miniaturized devices, which can deliver increased information about a gas mixture or complex liquid. Examples of sensor devices based on different wide band gap materials will be given.

Study of the CO response of SiC based field effect gas sensors

The response characteristics of SiC based field effect gas sensors towards varying CO and O2 concentrations over a wide temperature range and at atmospheric pressure has been studied in detail. Both thin, discontinuous as well as dense, homogeneous Pt films as the catalytic gate material in field effect transistor devices have been investigated and the results compared to CO oxidation characteristics over Pt/SiO2 catalysts as reported in literature. Based on the results a hypothesis regarding the mechanism behind CO sensitivity of field effect devices is put forward, also emphasizing the importance of increased sensitivity to background hydrogen

MISiCFET chemical sensors for applications in exhaust gases and flue gases

A chemical gas sensor based on a silicon carbide field effect transistor with a catalytic gate metal has been under development for a number of years. The choice of silicon carbide as the semiconductor material allows the sensor to operate at high temperatures, for more than 6 months in flue gases at 300degreesC and for at least three days at 700degreesC. The chemical inertness of silicon carbide and a buried gate design makes it a suitable sensor technology for applications in corrosive environments such as exhaust gases and flue gases from boilers. The selectivity of the sensor devices is established through the choice of type and structure of the gate metal as well as the operation temperature. In this way NH3 sensors with low cross sensitivity to NOx have been demonstrated as potential sensors for control of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx by urea injection into diesel exhausts. Here we show that sensors with a porous platinum or iridium gate show different temperature ranges for NH3 detection. The hardness of the silicon carbide makes it for example more resistant to water splash at cold start of a petrol engine than existing technologies, and a sensor which can control the air to fuel ratio, before the exhaust gases are heated, has been demonstrated. Silicon carbide sensors are also tested in flue gases from boilers. Efficient regulation of the combustion in a boiler will decrease fuel consumption and reduce emissions.

Cosputtered Metal and

High-temperature metal-insulator-silicon-carbide (MISiC) sensors are currently under development for use as NH3 sensors in selective-catalytic-reduction (SCR) systems in diesel engines or non-SCR (NSCR) systems in boilers. The detection of NH3 by these sensors requires the presence of triple points where the gas, the metal, and the insulator meet. These triple points have traditionally been located at the interface between the insulator and a porous metal. However, to facilitate the long-term stability of the devices when used in a harsh environment, a nonporous gate material would be preferred. Here, the behavior of the samples where such triple points have been introduced in a dense film through cosputtering of the insulator (SiO 2), and either Pt or Ir is studied. The NH3 sensitivity of the materials was found to be in accordance with the earlier investigations on Si-based samples with cosputtered gate materials. Several metal-to-insulator ratios for each of the metals Pt and Ir were studied. The sensitivity of the layers as well as their selectivity to different concentrations of NH3 at temperatures ranging from 150 degC to 450 degC was investigated. The films containing 60%-70% Pt or Ir were found to give a high sensitivity toward NH3. These samples were shown to be sensitive also to propylene and H2 but were rather insensitive to NO and CO

hboxSiO_2

The drain current-voltage (I-d-V-D) characteristics of a chemical gas sensor based on a catalytic metal insulator silicon carbide field effect transistor (SiC-FET) were measured in H-2 or O-2 ambient while applying negative substrate bias, V-sub, at temperatures up to 600degreesC. An increase in the negative V-sub gives rise to an increase of the drain voltage at a given drain current level, which can be used to adjust the device baseline. In addition, we found that the difference in drain voltage between H-2 and O-2 ambient at a given drain current level (the gas response to H-2) increases for an increased negative substrate bias. By modifying an equation for the drain current in a SIT (static induction transistor), the influence of substrate bias on the amplification factors, mu and eta, was estimated using the temperature dependence of the I-d-V-D characteristics. From this, the effect of substrate bias on the gas response to hydrogen was calculated. It was clarified that the increase in the gas response caused by the negative substrate bias is due to a substrate bias dependence of the amplification factor of the short channel device.

Layers for Use in Thick-Film MISiC

Different block and tube mounting alternatives for SiC-based gas sensors were studied by means of temperature measurements and simulation of heat transfer and gas flow for steady state conditions. The most preferable tube mounting design was determined. Simulation-based guidelines were developed for designing tube-mounted gas sensors in the exhaust pipes of diesel and petrol engines, taking into account thermal constraints and flow conditions.

hboxNH_3

A chemical gas sensor based on a silicon carbide field effect transistor with a catalytic gate metal has been under development for a number of years. The buried gate design allows the sensor to operate at high temperatures, routinely up to 600degreesC and for at least three days at 700degreesC. The chemical inertness of silicon carbide makes it a suitable sensor technology for applications in corrosive environments such as exhaust gases and flue gases from boilers. The selectivity of the sensor devices is established through the choice of type and structure of the gate metal as well as the operation temperature. In this way NH3 sensors with low cross sensitivity to NOx have been demonstrated as potential sensors for control of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx by urea injection into diesel exhausts. The hardness of the silicon carbide makes it for example more resistant to water splash at cold start of a petrol engine than existing technologies, and a sensor which can control the air to fuel ratio, before the exhaust gases are heated, has been demonstrated. Silicon carbide sensors are also tested in flue gases from boilers. Efficient regulation of the combustion in a boiler will decrease fuel consumption and reduce emissions.