Epitaxial Growth of Alpha Gallium Oxide Thin Films on Sapphire Substrates for Electronic and Optoelectronic Devices: Progress and Perspective

The demand for high-efficient and robust power semiconductors in harsh environments such as high temperature and high voltage has been enlarged with the fast development of the industry. Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) with a larger bandgap energy of 4.8-5.3 eV than Si, SiC, and GaN is a promising material suitable for next-generation power devices. Among the Ga2O3's phases, corundum structured alpha-Ga2O3 has attracted much attention, benefiting from the epitaxial growth on cheap sapphire substrate and the existence of p-type materials with the same crystal structure. This paper comprehensively reviews the progress on the epitaxial growth of alpha-Ga2O3 thin films and the fabrication of alpha-Ga2O3-based electronic and optoelectronic devices. First, state-of-the-art technologies for improving the crystal quality of alpha-Ga2O3 depending on growth methods are presented. Secondly, the current research level of growth of n-type doped alpha-Ga2O3 is comprehended. Finally, the recent progress of electronic and optoelectronic devices, including Schottky diodes, field-effect transistors, and solar-blind photodetectors, is summarized.

Automated summary

This paper comprehensively reviews the demand for high-efficient and robust power semiconductors in harsh environments, and the potential of using gallium oxide (Ga2O3) as a material. The focus of the paper is on the epitaxial growth of alpha-Ga2O3 thin films and the fabrication of related devices.