Preparation and NO_2-gas sensing property of individual β-Ga_2O_3 nanobelt

Monoclinic gallium oxide (β-Ga_2O_3) nanobelts are synthesized from gallium and oxygen by thermal evaporation in an argon atmosphere and their NO_2 sensing properties are studied at room temperature.Electron microscopy studies show that the nanobelts have breadths ranging from 30 to 50 nm and lengths up to tens of micrometers.Both the x-ray diffraction (XRD) and the selected are electron diffraction (SAED) examinations indicate that β-Ga_2O_3 nanobelts have grown into single crystals.Room temperature NO_2 sensing tests show that the current of individual β-Ga_2O_3 nanobelt decreases quickly,and then gently when the NO_2 concentration increases from low to high.It is caused by the NO_2 molecule chemisorption and desorption processes in the surface of β-Ga_2O_3 nanobelt.