Gas Sensing Properties of Epitaxial LaBaCo(2)O(5.5+δ) Thin Films

Chemical reactivity and stability of highly epitaxial mixed-conductive LaBaCo(2)O(5.5+δ) (LBCO) thin films on (001) LaAlO(3) (LAO) single-crystalline substrates, fabricated by using pulsed laser deposition system, were systematically investigated. Microstructure studies from x-ray diffraction indicate that the films are c-axis oriented with the interface relationship of [100](LBCO)//[100](LAO) and (001)(LBCO)//(001)(LAO). LBCO thin films can detect the ethanol vapor concentration as low as 10ppm and the response of LBCO thin film to various ethanol vapor concentrations is very reliable and reproducible with the switch between air and ethanol vapor. Moreover, the fast response of the LBCO thin film, as the p-type gas sensor, is better than some n-type oxide semiconductor thin films and comparable with some nanorods and nanowires. These findings indicate that the LBCO thin films have great potential for the development of gas sensors in reducing/oxidizing environments.