Laser Processed Hybrid Lead-Free Thin Films for SAW Sensors

In this study we report the specific interaction of various gases on the modified surface of acoustic wave devices for gas sensor applications, using the piezoelectric ceramic material BaSrTiO₃ (BST), with different concentrations of Sr. For enhancing the sensitivity of the sensor, the conductive polymer polyethylenimine (PEI) was deposited on top of BST thin films. Thin films of BST were deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique and integrated into a test heterostructure with PEI thin films deposited by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) and interdigital Au electrodes (IDT). Further on, the layered heterostructures were incorporated into surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, in order to measure the frequency response to various gases (N₂, CO₂ and O₂). The frequency responses of the sensors based on thin films of the piezoelectric material deposited at different pressures were compared with layered structures of PEI/BST, in order to observe differences in the frequency shifts between sensors. The SAW tests performed at room temperature revealed different results based on deposition condition (pressure of oxygen and the percent of strontium in BatiO₃ structure). Frequency shift responses were obtained for all the tested sensors in the case of a concentration of Sr x = 0.75, for all the analysed gases. The best frequency shifts among all sensors studied was obtained in the case of BST50 polymer sensor for CO₂ detection.