General Information for TGS Sensors

The sensing material in TGS gas sensors is metal oxide, most typically SnO2. When a metal oxide crystal such as SnO2 is heated at a certain high temperature in air, oxygen is adsorbed on the crystal surface with a negative charge. Then donor electrons in the crystal surface are transferred to the adsorbed oxygen, resulting in leaving positive charges in a space charge layer. Thus, surface potential is formed to serve as a potential barrier against electron flow (Figure 1). Inside the sensor, electric current flows through the conjunction parts (grain boundary) of SnO2 micro crystals. At grain boundaries, adsorbed oxygen forms a potential barrier which prevents carriers from moving freely. The electrical resistance of the sensor is attributed to this potential barrier. In the presence of a deoxidizing gas, the surface density of the negatively charged oxygen decreases, so the barrier height in the grain boundary is reduced (Figures 2 and 3). The reduced barrier height decreases sensor resistance.