Preparation and room temperature NO_2-sensing performances of porous silicon/V_2O_5nanorods

In this paper, porous silicon/V₂O₅ nanorod composites are prepared by a heating process of as-sputtered V film on porous silicon (PS) at 600 ℃ for different times (15, 30, and 45 min) in air. The morphologies and crystal structures of the samples are investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), x-ray diffractometer (XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectrum (RS). An improved understanding of the growth process of V₂O₅ nanorods on PS is presented. The gas sensing properties of samples are measured for NO₂ gas of 0.25 ppm～3 ppm at 25 ℃. We investigate the effects of the annealing time on the NO₂-sensing performances of the samples. The sample obtained at 600 ℃ for 30 min exhibits a very strong response and fast response-recovery rate to ppm level NO₂, indicating a p-type semiconducting behavior. The XPS analysis reveals that the heating process for 30 min produces the biggest number of oxygen vacancies in the nanorods, which is highly beneficial to gas sensing. The significant NO₂ sensing performance of the sample obtained at 600 ℃ for 30 min probably is due to the strong amplification effect of the heterojunction between PS and V₂O₅ and a large number of oxygen vacancies in the nanorods.