Large-scale fabrication of highly sensitive SnO2 nanowire network gas sensors by single step vapor phase growth

The SnO2 nanowire networks were grown on a laser-scribed Al2O3 substrate containing 16 sensor elements with Au electrodes and Pt heaters via a single step vapor phase reaction, and their gas sensing characteristics were studied. The sensor showed a high response to 5 ppm NO2 (Rg/Ra = 1909, Rg: resistance in gas, Ra: resistance in air) at the sensor temperature of 141 °C and high and selective responses to 100 ppm C2H5OH (Ra/Rg = 301.8–326.4) at 240 and 296 °C, which demonstrated that high performance SnO2 nanowire network gas sensors can be fabricated on a large scale through a facile and cost-effective route.