Gas sensing properties of SuMBE growth hybrid nanostructured thin films

Cluster supersonic beams have been previously shown to be a viable method to produce nanostructures by assembling them on a substrate in a controlled way. Control of precursors properties in the beam efficiently determine morphology, structure of films and their functional properties. Sensors based on cluster assembled TiO₂ show remarkable properties (sensitivity, response time and selectivity). We expand this approach to organic functionalization of nanostuctured oxides in a co-deposition scheme combining supersonic sources of organics (SuMBE) and of oxides (MPCS). Characterization of the properties of films and of the precursors will be discussed. This opens the perspective of using a co-deposition process combining metal (oxides) clusters and organic molecules to produce hybrid "decorated" nanostructures that could combine the inorganic stability and the molecular selectivity to produce a novel generation of gas sensors. The performance of the first prototype will also be presented.