Reversible photoinduced wettability and antimicrobial activity of Ga2O3 thin film upon UVC irradiation

The reversible photoinduced wettability of beta-Ga2O3 thin films with different film thicknesses is investigated under ultraviolet C irradiation, and the results are compared with those from an amorphous SiO2 surface. The Ga2O3 surface exhibits reversible photoinduced wettability under ultraviolet-C (UVC) radiation centered at 254 nm. The critical transition time (CTT) of the 50-nm thick beta-Ga2O3 film is comparable to that of the 8-nm thick beta-Ga2O3 film, but the CTT value increases significantly for the 100-nm thick beta-Ga2O3 film. The thickness-dependent reversible wettability in the Ga2O3 surface is explained using a penetration-diffusion model. The photoinduced Ga2O3 surface also exhibits substantial antimicrobial activity in Escherichia coli cells. The experimental findings in this work indicate that Ga2O3 can be used in various applications, including self-cleaning, anti-fogging, and antimicrobial activities.

Automated summary

The reversible photoinduced wettability of β-Ga2O3 thin films with different thicknesses under ultraviolet C irradiation is investigated and compared with an amorphous SiO2 surface. The Ga2O3 surface shows reversible photoinduced wettability under ultraviolet-C radiation centered at 254 nm, and the critical transition time is affected by the film thickness. The photoinduced Ga2O3 surface also exhibits antimicrobial activity.