Observation of CO Detection Using Aluminum-Doped ZnO Nanorods on Microcantilever.

An oscillating piezoresistive microcantilever (MC) coated with an aluminum (Al)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods was used to detect carbon monoxide (CO) in air at room temperature. Al-doped ZnO nanorods were grown on the MC surface using the hydrothermal method, and a response to CO gas was observed by measuring a resonant frequency shift of vibrated MC. CO gas response showed a significant increase in resonant frequency, where sensitivity in the order of picogram amounts was obtained.