Electrical conductivity selected semiconductors

The influence of other active components, such as 1, OH, H on a semiconductor sensor, with other conditions being the same, is comparable with the influence of atomic oxygen [50]. Contribution of N and OH is proportional to their relative contents (compared to that of atomic oxygen) in the atmosphere and may become essential at altitudes lower than 60 - 70 km. The use of selective detectors excludes the influence of atomic hydrogen. Studies of adsorption of water vapours on ZnO films [50] show that their influence is negligibly small at the film temperatures below 100°C. Variations of electric conductivity of the films under the influence of water vapours and of an atomic oxygen are comparable at the ratio of their concentrations [H20]/[0] = 10" . 

As described in the preceding sections, fundamental studies of heterogeneous catalysis at the surface of catalysts are important for understanding reaction pathways and for the development of new or improved catalysts and processes. There have been earlier hypotheses proposed for selective oxidation catalysis for example, the multiplet theory which suggests that the activity depends upon correctly spaced groups (multiplets) of atoms to accommodate the reactant molecule (Balandin, 1969) and electronic theory based on the nature of adsorption on semiconductors and empirical correlations between activity, work function and electrical conductivity (Wolkenstein 1960). The importance... 

Here, the potentiometric selectivity coefficient is given with respect to the hydroxyl ion. Single-crystal lanthanum fluoride is a wide bandgap semiconductor in which the electrical conductivity is due only to the hopping mobility of fluoride ions through the defects in the crystal. It does not respond to the La3+ ion because of the slow ion exchange of that ion. Hydroxyl ion is the only other ion that has appreciable mobility, and is the only known interference. For this reason, the measurements with a fluoride electrode are always done below pH 7, which circumvents this interference. As shown later, the consideration of ionic and/or electronic conductivity of the membrane plays a critical role also in the design of the internal contact in nonsymmetric potentiometric sensors. 

If the semiconductor is an ionic solid, then electrical conduction can be electronic and ionic, the latter being due to the existence of defects within the crystal that can undergo movement, especially Frenkel defects (an ion vacancy balanced by an interstitial ion of the same type) and Schottky defects (cation and anion vacancies with ion migration to the surface). This will be discussed further in Chapter 13, as ionic crystals are the sensing components of an important class of ion selective electrodes. 

Chemical bonding and electrical conductivity provide five major categories of engineered materials metals, polymers, ceramics/glasses, composites, and semiconductors. The properties of these materials are dependent on atomic- and microscopic-scale stmcture, as well as on the way in which a given material is processed. Materials science enables the selection of the optimal material for a given application, see also Ceramics Glass Physical Chemistry Polymers, Synthetic Semiconductors. 

This principle makes it possible to predict the sign of conduction of a mixed-valence phase, to explain the appearance of electrical conduction, and to select reliably ways of preparing materials with prescribed thermoelectric properties. The problem of the simultaneous introduction of several impurities into a semiconductor is considered. The role of cation and anion vacancies is determined. The thermo-emf power is estimated from the possibility of the appearance of ions of "abnormaT valence and from the role of the resultant polar bonds. The limits of the validity of Vetwey s principle are considered. 

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