Effect of ZrO2 Doping on the Properties of TiO2 Thin Films as an Ethanol Vapor Gas Sensor

Hussain, Zainab T; Abdulridha, Wasna’a M; Abood, Murooj A; saeed, farqad

doi:10.22068/ijmse.3955

Volume 23, Issue 1 (MARCH 2026) IJMSE 2026, 23(1): 99-108 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.22068/ijmse.3955

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Hussain Z T, Abdulridha W M, Abood M A, saeed F. Effect of ZrO2 Doping on the Properties of TiO2 Thin Films as an Ethanol Vapor Gas Sensor. IJMSE 2026; 23 (1) :99-108
URL: http://ijmse.iust.ac.ir/article-1-3955-en.html

Effect of ZrO2 Doping on the Properties of TiO2 Thin Films as an Ethanol Vapor Gas Sensor

Zainab T Hussain

, Wasna’a M Abdulridha

, Murooj A Abood

, Farqad Saeed

Abstract: (70 Views)

In this study, RF magnetron sputtering was employed to create titanium dioxide (TiO₂) thin films doped with zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) (TZO) onto quartz and silicon substrates at 100^oC for the purpose of evaluating the effect of ZrO₂ doping on the microstructural, electrical, optical and gas sensing properties of the TiO₂ films. Different doping concentrations (0.0, 2.0 and 4.0 wt.%) were used to compare performances of the films with a thickness ranging between 147 nm to 178 nm. Structural and surface morphology characterizations of the prepared films were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. The surface morphology of the prepared TZO films showed a gradual reduction in the grain size while the doping concentration increased. The optical characteristics of the films also exhibited an increasing trend in the optical band gap with the rising ZrO₂ concentration. TiO₂ films showed an n-type conductivity as confirmed by Hall's measurement. The results of the gas sensing experiments revealed that the sensitivity of the TZO films for the detection of ethanol vapor increased with an increase in the concentration of ZrO₂ dopant. Therefore, TZO film with 4.0 wt.% of ZrO₂ could be used as an effective sensor for detecting ethanol vapor.

Keywords: Zirconium oxide, Titanium dioxide, RF sputtering, Thin film, Sensitivity