Nur-E-Alam Mohammad, Maurya Devendra Kumar, Yap Boon Kar, Rajabi Armin, Doroody Camellia, Bin Mohamed Hassan, Khandaker Mayeen Uddin, Islam Mohammad Aminul, Kiong Tiong Sieh
Institute of Sustainable Energy, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Jalan IKRAM-UNITEN, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia.
School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia.
Sensors (Basel). 2023 Sep 30;23(19):8194. doi: 10.3390/s23198194.
In the last several decades, metal oxide thin films have attracted significant attention for the development of various existing and emerging technological applications, including pH sensors. The mandate for consistent and precise pH sensing techniques has been increasing across various fields, including environmental monitoring, biotechnology, food and agricultural industries, and medical diagnostics. Metal oxide thin films grown using physical vapor deposition (PVD) with precise control over film thickness, composition, and morphology are beneficial for pH sensing applications such as enhancing pH sensitivity and stability, quicker response, repeatability, and compatibility with miniaturization. Various PVD techniques, including sputtering, evaporation, and ion beam deposition, used to fabricate thin films for tailoring materials' properties for the advanced design and development of high-performing pH sensors, have been explored worldwide by many research groups. In addition, various thin film materials have also been investigated, including metal oxides, nitrides, and nanostructured films, to make very robust pH sensing electrodes with higher pH sensing performance. The development of novel materials and structures has enabled higher sensitivity, improved selectivity, and enhanced durability in harsh pH environments. The last decade has witnessed significant advancements in PVD thin films for pH sensing applications. The combination of precise film deposition techniques, novel materials, and surface functionalization strategies has led to improved pH sensing performance, making PVD thin films a promising choice for future pH sensing technologies.
在过去几十年中，金属氧化物薄膜因其在包括pH传感器在内的各种现有和新兴技术应用的发展中具有重要作用而备受关注。在包括环境监测、生物技术、食品和农业产业以及医学诊断在内的各个领域，对一致且精确的pH传感技术的需求一直在增加。使用物理气相沉积（PVD）生长的金属氧化物薄膜，能够精确控制薄膜厚度、成分和形态，这对pH传感应用有益，比如可提高pH灵敏度和稳定性、加快响应速度、实现可重复性以及与小型化兼容。许多研究团队在全球范围内探索了各种用于制造薄膜以调整材料特性，从而进行高性能pH传感器的先进设计与开发的PVD技术，包括溅射、蒸发和离子束沉积。此外，还研究了各种薄膜材料，包括金属氧化物、氮化物和纳米结构薄膜，以制造具有更高pH传感性能的非常坚固的pH传感电极。新型材料和结构的开发实现了更高的灵敏度、更好的选择性以及在苛刻pH环境下增强的耐久性。过去十年见证了用于pH传感应用的PVD薄膜取得的重大进展。精确的薄膜沉积技术、新型材料和表面功能化策略的结合导致了pH传感性能的改善，使PVD薄膜成为未来pH传感技术的一个有前途的选择。
