This work is devoted to the study and the development of gas sensors microsystems highly selective to nitrogen dioxide, dedicated to the air quality control. The strategy developed consists in the implementation of a sensitive structure based on semiconductor materials partially selective to oxidizing gases associated to an ozone selective filter. The first objective is the development of chemical filters strictly impervious to ozone (O3) and non-reactive towards the nitrogen dioxide (NO2). We have chosen a molecular material, indigo, well-known for its reactivity towards O3, and several carbonaceous nanomaterials. For these one, the possibility to modify their textures, their morphologies and their surface chemistries by chemical, mechanical and thermic treatments, enables us to extend the range of potential materials and to identify the factors of influence on their reactivity with gaseous species. The characterization of all these materials required the use of appropriate and complementary techniques (N2 adsorption at 77 K, Raman, XPS, IR in ATR mode, EPR and NEXAFS). The more efficient filters (high filtering yield and life-time) have been selected by means of specific tests of gas exposure. Finally, the association of the best filter and the sensitive structure has led to the development of optimized gas sensors microsystems prototypes.
