Large-scale fabrication of highly sensitive SnO 2 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 5ppm 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 100ppm 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.