Semiconductor Metal Oxide Thin Films

Abstract

High-throughput fabrication procedures and the selection of materials with acceptable performance characteristics are critical in the development of large-area, low-cost electronics for flat-panel displays, sensor arrays, and flexible circuits. For wide variety of electronics application high charge carrier mobility, high electrical conductivity, large dielectric constants, mechanical flexibility and optical transparency may be required. In this context semiconducting metal oxides (SMO x ) are good choices for selection. Due to their great sensitivity and inexpensive cost, SMO x are frequently used as the sensitive element in electronic devices. At higher temperature, SMO x s offer excellent structural stabilities, which helps them to withstand in harsh environmental conditions. When there are modest changes in the environment, SMO x s quickly change in their electrical characteristics. Because of their quick changes in their electrical properties, they are highly used as in sensing applications. A metal cation and an oxide anion are present in SMO x s which can also include ternary and quaternary metal oxides. SMO x s are basically classified in two categories such as n-type and p-type. Despite their high electronic performances, SMO x suffers difficulties associated with large-area fabrication and its high cost and complexity. To minimize this problem, SMOxs-based next-generation thin films are extensively used in electrical goods due to their elastic and flexible properties. In comparison to thick films, SMOxs thin films have improved surface effects, high specific areas, and high porosity. These characteristics make thin films perfect for a range of uses, such as optoelectronic devices, catalytic nanomedicine, and particularly chemical sensors. This chapter provides an overview of semiconductor metal oxide based thin films, discusses about the recent developments of SMO x s thin films and its applications towards sensing field. The first section of the chapter gives an overview of several SMOx based thin films, their properties as well as their synthesis. Also, the chapter discusses about the applications of SMOx based thin films in different fields. Furthermore, the limitation and future developments of SMOx based thin films are addressed in the final part of the chapter.