Improving the selective inonization of N- and P-containing organic compounds enables low false alarm rate detection of harmful chemical agents. The current detector utilizes alkali metals as the source of electron donation; however, this selective ionization mechanism is not well understood. Our approach is to synthesize and evaluate low work function emitter materials with an emphasis on thin films of the alkali metal (ASiO2) and alkaline earth silicates (AESiO2). Metal alkoxides (MOR) were of interest for thin film production and a novel set of A(OR) and AE(OR)2 precursors were synthesized. AE metals have the potenial to accept more electrons within a film, potentially decreasing the volatility and increasing device lifetime. The precursors were matrixed in a sol-gel solution if Si(OEt)4 and a comparison of the sensitivity and selectivity of the device was tested. These results will be discussed as well as all precursor and solution preparations.Sandia National Labs is a muli-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U. S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Securtiy Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Improving performance of microfabricated nitrogen phosphorus detectors with sol-gel deposited alkali and alkaline earth-doped high-porosity silicate films using novel metal alkoxide precursors

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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