Pd/porous-GaAs Schottky contact for hydrogen sensing application

The potential of Pd/porous-GaAs Schottky contacts for hydrogen detection at room temperature is presented. The Pd/porous-GaAs contacts were developed using an electrochemical system in our laboratory. Using both forward- and reverse current–voltage (I–V) characteristics we have found that the Pd/porous-GaAs Schottky diode sensor exhibited very high sensitivity towards hydrogen gas. The Pd/porous-GaAs diode sensor submitted to 500 ppm hydrogen gas at room temperature revealed a considerable increase in sensitivity of more than three times higher than that of the Pd/GaAs sample. The significant changes observed here have been found to be due to the results of a decrease in effective barrier height of the Schottky contact. This is due to a lowering of metal work function and eventually the creation of a dipole layer on the semiconductor surface induced by dissociation of hydrogen atoms on the Pd contact, followed by diffusion to the Pd/porous-GaAs interface. A comparative study has been conducted to show the differences between Pd/GaAs and the Pd/porous-GaAs Schottky contacts fabricated at different conditions and subjected to hydrogen gas at various operating temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the porosity of the GaAs surfaces. SEM pictures showed highly porous structures of the Pd/porous-GaAs Schottky contacts provided for penetration of hydrogen gas molecules.