Surface Science Studies of Gas Sensing Materials: SnO(2)

This review is an attempt to give an overview on how surface science studies can contribute to a fundamental understanding of metal oxide gas sensors. In here tin dioxide is used as a model system for metal oxide gas sensor materials and we review surface science studies of single crystal SnO2. The composition, structure, electronic and chemical properties of the (110) and (101) surfaces is described. The influence of compositional changes as a function of the oxygen chemical potential on the electronic surface structure and the chemical properties is emphasized on the example of the (101) surface. The surface chemical properties are discussed on the example of water adsorption. It is shown the chemical and gas sensing properties depend strongly on the surface composition.