Optical investigations of ZnO layers affected by some selected gases in the aspect of their application in optical gas sensors

The paper presents the results of investigations of zinc oxide (ZnO) layers as a potential sensing material, being affected by certain selected gaseous environments. The investigations concerned the optical transmission through thin ZnO layers in wide spectral ranges from ultraviolet to the near infrared. The effect of the gaseous environment on the optical properties of zinc oxide layers with a thickness of 400 nm was analyzed applying various technologies of ZnO manufacturing. Three kinds of ZnO layers were exposed to the effect of the gaseous environment, viz.: layers with relatively slight roughness (RMS several nm), layers with a considerable surface roughness (RMS some score of nm) and layers characterized by porous ZnO structures. The investigations concerned spectral changes in the transmission properties of the ZnO layers due to the effect of such gases as: ammonia (NH₃), hydrogen (H₂), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in the atmosphere of synthetic air. The obtained results indicated the possibility of applying porous ZnO layered structures in optical gas sensors.