Thin-film palladium and silver alloys and layers for metal-insulator-semiconductor sensors

Abstract

The addition of Ag to Pd in the gate metal of a metal-insulator-semiconductor gas sensing diode can improve the performance and change the selectivity of the sensors for a variety of reactions. Data on the response of diodes with 12 different ratios of Ag to Pd in alloys and layers of Pd and Ag to hydrogen and other gases are reported. Diodes with as much as 32% Ag respond very well to H2 gas and the films are much more durable to high hydrogen exposure than pure Pd films. Improvements in the rate of response and aging behavior are found for certain Ag combinations; others give poorer performance. The presence of Ag on the surface changes the catalytic activity in some cases and examples of H2 mixed with O2 and/or NO2, propylene oxide, ethylene, and formic acid are given. Such selectivity forms the basis for miniature chemical sensor arrays which could analyze complex gas mixtures.