Durability Improvement of Optical H₂ Gas Sensor Using Pd Thin Film on Sputter-Etched Glass Substrate

Abstract:

A glass substrate was sputter-etched by R. F. magnetron sputtering at the powers of 100 or 200 W for 60 min in Ar gas. Pd thin film as a sensing agent of hydrogen (H2) was deposited on the glass substrate. The durability of the sensor was evaluated during hydrogen absorption-desorption cycles. The Pd thin film on the glass substrate without sputter etching peeled off after dozens of the cycles. However, the Pd thin film on sputter-etched glass substrate didn’t peel off. The contact angle of water on the glass substrate with sputter etching was smaller than that without sputter etching, suggesting that the surface energy of the substrate was increased by employing the sputter etching process. The improvement of durability for the optical hydrogen sensor using sputter etched substrate was related to the increase of surface energy induced by the sputter etching.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volumes 421-422)
• Pages: 307-310
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.421-422.307
• Online since: December 2009
• Authors: Yuji Yakushiji, Yuichiro Kuroki, Tomoichiro Okamoto, Masasuke Takata
• Keywords: Contact Angle (CA), Glass Substrate, Hydrogen Sensor, Optical Sensing, Pd Thin Film, Sputter Etching

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