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The interesting hydrogen sensing characteristics of two transistors with an Al 0.24 Ga 0.76 As (device A) and In 0.49 Ga 0.51 P (device B) Schottky layer are demonstrated and studied. Experimentally, device A shows a lower hydrogen detection limit of 4.3 ppm H 2 /air, a higher current variation of 7.79 mA and a shorter adsorption time of 10.95 s in a 9970 ppm H 2 /air at room temperature. On the other hand, device B exhibits more stable hydrogen-sensing characteristics at high temperatures. Even at a low concentration of 14 ppm H 2 /air the hydrogen sensing properties of device B can be obtained as the temperature increases from 30 to 160 °C. Because the Al 0.24 Ga 0.76 As and In 0.49 Ga 0.51 P materials are lattice-matched to the GaAs substrate, the studied devices can be integrated as sensor arrays to obtain superior hydrogen sensing characteristics including higher sensing signals, lower detection limit, shorter response time, and widespread detection and temperature regimes.

An interesting hydrogen sensor based on a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) device with a Pd–oxide–In0.49Ga0.51P gate structure is fabricated and demonstrated. The hydrogen sensing characteristics including hydrogen detection sensitivity and transient responses of the studied device under different hydrogen concentrations and temperature are measured and studied. The hydrogen detection sensitivity is related to a change in the contact potential at the Pd/insulator interface. The kinetic and thermodynamic properties of hydrogen adsorption are also studied. Experimentally, good hydrogen detection sensitivities, large magnitude of current variations (3.96 mA in 9970 ppm H2/air gas at room temperature) and shorter absorption response time (22 s in 9970 ppm H2/air gas at room temperature) are obtained for a 1.4 μm × 100 μm gate dimension device. Therefore, the studied device provides a promise for high-performance solid-state hydrogen sensor, integrated circuit (IC) and micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) applications.

An interesting hydrogen sensor based on a Pt–oxide–Al0.3Ga0.7As MOS structure is fabricated and studied. The transient response and hydrogen detection sensitivity of the studied device under different hydrogen concentrations, temperature and applied voltages are measured. In addition, the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of hydrogen adsorption are studied and discussed. Experimentally, the studied device shows significant advantages of extremely low hydrogen concentration (15 ppm H2/air) detection capability, high hydrogen detection sensitivity (20 in 9090 ppm H2/air gas), short response time, wide temperature operating regime and good hydrogen detection ability under bi-directional applied bias. Based on these good properties, therefore, the studied device provides a promise for high-performance solid-state hydrogen sensor applications.

A new Pt/oxide/InGaP metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) Schottky diode has been fabricated and studied. Upon exposure to hydrogen, the steady-state and transient responses under different hydrogen concentrations and temperatures are measured. Due to the inherent property of InGaP material, e.g. the wide energy gap, a wide hydrogen-sensing range as large as 300 K (from room temperature to 600 K) is obtained. Even at room temperature, a very high sensitivity over 500% for 9090 ppm hydrogen in air is acquired. Furthermore, the measured absorption response time is less than 1 s at the applied voltage of 0.7 V and 9090 ppm hydrogen concentration atmosphere condition. Simultaneously, based on the analysis of the variation of barrier height and hydrogen coverage, the characteristics of the studied Pt/oxide/InGaP MOS Schottky diode is in good agreement with the Lundstrom isotherm.