Chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP) was employed to deposit ZrO₂:Ag thin films with good uniformity and adhesion. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of a polycrystalline cubic phase, while Ag incorporation promoted grain growth and improved crystalline quality through the reduction of dislocation density and lattice strain. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed a progressive decrease in surface roughness and particle size with increasing Ag content, indicating the development of a denser and more compact film morphology. Optical transmittance measurements showed moderate transparency in the range of 72.6-76.2%, with a slight decrease upon doping, although the films retained good transparency in the visible region. The optical band gap was found to narrow from 5.18 eV to 5.07 eV, which can be attributed to the introduction of localized defect states within the band structure. Gas-sensing measurements performed at 200 ppm NO₂ and an operating temperature of 130 °C demonstrated that undoped ZrO₂ films exhibited the highest sensitivity while Ag doping led to a gradual reduction in sensing performance.
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