p- and n-type Fe-doped SnO2 gas sensors fabricated by the mechanochemical processing technique

Fe-doped SnO2 sensors were fabricated using micromechanical synthesis technique. The Fe-doped sensor was compared to pure SnO2. Fe-doped SnO2 responded as a p-type semiconductor to oxygen concentrations of up to 10% at 300 °C. As the temperature increased to 400°C, the material responded as an n-type semiconductor. Furthermore, a higher surface area and smaller grains size diameters were achieved when doping SnO2 with Fe. This translated into improved dynamic gas sensing properties and also improved responses to gases such as ethanol.