Electrical characterization and hydrogen gas sensing properties of a n-ZnO/p-SiC Pt-gate metal semiconductor field effect transistor

Abstract

A new hydrogen gas sensitive n-ZnOp-SiC Pt-gate metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET) is reported. The observed current-voltage curves for the source to drain region indicate that this MESFET operates in enhancement mode. A change in gate potential, due to different ambient atmospheres caused a change in the width of the depletion region, hence modulating the current in the n channel (ZnO layer). The H2 gas sensing mechanism of the presented MESFET structure is discussed using energy band diagrams. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.