Effect of Ni Interlayer on the Methanol Gas Sensitivity of ITO Thin Films

Sn doped $In_2O_3$ (ITO) and ITO/Ni/ITO (INI) multilayer films were deposited on the glass substrates with a reactive magnetron sputtering system without intentional substrate heating and then the influence of the Ni interlayer on the methanol gas sensitivity of ITO and INI film sensors were investigated. Although both ITO and INI film sensors have the same thickness of 100 nm, INI sensors have a sandwich structure of ITO 50 nm/Ni 5 nm/ITO 45 nm. The changes in the gas sensitivity of the film sensors caused by methanol gas ranging from 100 to 1000 ppm were measured. It is observed that the INI film sensors show the higher sensitivity than that of the ITO single layer sensors. Finally, it can be concluded that the INI film sensor have the potential to be used as improved methanol gas sensors.