LAUSR

Nano-electro-mechanical systems accelerometers using undoped (Z) and 1 wt.%, 3 wt.% and 5 wt.% of Vanadium doped (ZV1, ZV3 and ZV5) Zinc Oxide (active layer) nanorods are fabricated. A low temperature assisted hydrothermal method was used to grow nanorods on Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide substrates. The complete accelerometer device architecture includes formation of a p-n junction by depositing poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (p-type layer) on V doped and undoped active layers (n-type layer) with silver as top electrode. The structural analysis revealed the (002) plane c-axis orientation of 1 D nanorods grown. A field emission scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy showed changes in the morphology in the undoped and doped devices. Optical analysis showed a band gap decrease from 3.15 eV (Z) to 2.92 eV (ZV5). Photoconductivity study proved the formation of a p-n junction between the p-type and active layer in all the fabricated piezoelectric accelerometers. The Nyquist plots obtained using impedance analysis depicted the presence of RC circuit in all the fabricated accelerometers. A less internal resistance of 1.26 kΩ and RC time constant of 0.032 ms for ZV5 showed an improved piezoelectric property due to 5 wt.% of V doping compared to other fabricated accelerometers. The highest sensitivity of 3.528 V/g was acquired for ZV5 with maximum output voltages of 2.30 V and 2.9 V at 9 Hz resonant frequency and 1 g acceleration, respectively. An improvement of 77.28% sensitivity in ZV5 was observed compared to that of Z.