II–VI Semiconductor-Based Humidity Sensors

Abstract

This chapter discusses the problems associated with monitoring the amount of water vapors in the atmosphere. This is an important issue because, due to the unique properties of water, humidity of the atmosphere strongly affects living organisms, including humans, and materials. Currently, the most common devices used to measure humidity of the air are solid-state humidity sensors such as conductometric, capacitive, and quartz crystal microbalance-based sensors. Their construction and principles of operation are described in this chapter. It has been shown that the properties of II–VI compounds are very sensitive to changes in humidity; therefore, these materials can indeed be used to develop humidity sensors of indicated types. Examples of the implementation of humidity sensors both based on II–VI compounds and based on their composites with polymers are given. The use of 1D nanostructures of II–VI connections in the development of humidity sensors is also discussed in this chapter.