Conduction mechanisms in SnO2 based polycrystalline thick film gas sensors exposed to CO and H2 in different oxygen backgrounds

The conduction mechanism in polycrystalline SnO2 thick sensing films was modeled and experimentally investigated by means of simultaneous DC electrical resistance and work function changes measurements under CO and H2 exposure in different oxygen backgrounds. It was shown that, according to the composition of the ambient atmosphere, the conduction changes from the case in which it is controlled by the surface depletion layers to a situation in which the main contribution comes from free charge transport in the surface accumulation layer. This is significant for the interpretation of work function changes measurements results because the relation between the different measured electrical resistance and surface band bending depends on the conduction model. Furthermore, the CO sensing mechanism dependence on the oxygen amount in the ambient was explained.