Radiation hardness of solution-processed amorphous ZnSnO gas sensors against gamma rays

Abstract

Metal oxide semiconductors, such as ZnO and SnO2, are widely used for civil gas sensing applications. However, the performance of these gas sensors degrades significantly if they are irradiated with high levels of gamma rays so they are not suited to use in harsh environments. This study demonstrates a gamma ray tolerance of 150 kilo-Gray (kGy) for solution-processed amorphous ZnSnO (a-ZTO) thin film due to its radiation hardness. The gas sensing response measurement shows that the gas response of gas sensor is increased after gamma irradiation because oxygen vacancies are induced by gamma radiation. The increased gas response is maintained up to 150 kGy. This study demonstrates that a-ZTO thin film acts as a radiation-resistant sensing layer for gas sensors in a space radiation environment.