Effect of Ti doping on the crystallography, phase, surface/interface structure and optical band gap of Ga2O3 thin films

The effect of titanium (Ti) doping on the crystal structure, phase, surface/interface chemistry, microstructure and optical band gap of gallium oxide (Ga2O3) (GTO) films is reported. The Ti content was varied from 0 to 5at% in co-sputtering, using Ga2O3 ceramic and Ti metal targets, deposited GTO films produced. The sputtering power to the Ti target was varied in the range of 0-100W, while keeping the sputtering power to Ga2O3 constant at 100W, to produce GTO films with 0-5at% Ti. The Ti-incorporation-induced effects were significant for the crystal structure, phase, surface/interface chemistry and morphology, which in turn induce changes in the band gap. The high-resolution core-level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses confirm that the Ga ions exist as Ga3+ in both intrinsic Ga oxide and GTO films. However, XPS data reveal the formation of Ga2O3-TiO2 films with the presence of Ti4+ ions with increasing Ti sputtering power, i.e., higher Ti contents in GTO. Evidence for the formation of nanocrystalline Ga2O3-TiO2 films was also found in the structural analyses performed using electron microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. Significant band gap reduction (E(g)0.9eV) occurs in GTO films with increasing Ti dopant concentration from 0 to 5at%. A correlation between the Ti dopant concentration, surface/interface chemistry, microstructure and band gap of GTO films is established.