Growth, catalysis and faceting of $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ and $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ on $m$-plane $α$-Al$_2$O$_3$ by molecular beam epitaxy

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Main Authors: Williams, Martin S., Alonso-Orts, Manuel, Schowalter, Marco, Karg, Alexander, Raghuvansy, Sushma, McCandless, Jon P., Jena, Debdeep, Rosenauer, Andreas, Eickhoff, Martin, Vogt, Patrick
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Published: 2023
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author Williams, Martin S.
Alonso-Orts, Manuel
Schowalter, Marco
Karg, Alexander
Raghuvansy, Sushma
McCandless, Jon P.
Jena, Debdeep
Rosenauer, Andreas
Eickhoff, Martin
Vogt, Patrick
author_facet Williams, Martin S.
Alonso-Orts, Manuel
Schowalter, Marco
Karg, Alexander
Raghuvansy, Sushma
McCandless, Jon P.
Jena, Debdeep
Rosenauer, Andreas
Eickhoff, Martin
Vogt, Patrick
contents The growth of $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ and $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ on $m$-plane $α$-Al$_2$O$_3$(10$\bar{1}$0) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal-oxide-catalyzed epitaxy (MOCATAXY) is investigated. By systematically exploring the parameter space accessed by MBE and MOCATAXY, phase-pure $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$(10$\bar{1}$0) and $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$(10$\bar{1}$0) thin films are realized. The presence of In on the $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ growth surface remarkably expands its growth window far into the metal-rich flux regime and to higher growth temperatures. With increasing O-to-Ga flux ratio ($R_{\text{O}}$), In incorporates into $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ up to $x \leq 0.08$. Upon a critical thickness, $β$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ nucleates and subsequently heteroepitaxially grows on top of $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ facets. Metal-rich MOCATAXY growth conditions, where $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ would not conventionally stabilize, lead to single-crystalline $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ with negligible In incorporation and improved surface morphology. Higher $T_{\text{G}}$ further results in single-crystalline $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ with well-defined terraces and step edges at their surfaces. For $R_{\text{O}} \leq 0.53$, In acts as a surfactant on the $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ growth surface by favoring step edges, while for $R_{\text{O}} \geq 0.8$, In incorporates and leads to a-plane $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ faceting and the subsequent ($\bar{2}$01) $β$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ growth on top. Thin film analysis by STEM reveals highly crystalline $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ layers and interfaces. We provide a phase diagram to guide the MBE and MOCATAXY growth of single-crystalline $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ on $α$-Al$_2$O$_3$(10$\bar{1}$0).
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id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2311_12460
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Growth, catalysis and faceting of $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ and $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ on $m$-plane $α$-Al$_2$O$_3$ by molecular beam epitaxy
Williams, Martin S.
Alonso-Orts, Manuel
Schowalter, Marco
Karg, Alexander
Raghuvansy, Sushma
McCandless, Jon P.
Jena, Debdeep
Rosenauer, Andreas
Eickhoff, Martin
Vogt, Patrick
Materials Science
The growth of $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ and $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ on $m$-plane $α$-Al$_2$O$_3$(10$\bar{1}$0) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal-oxide-catalyzed epitaxy (MOCATAXY) is investigated. By systematically exploring the parameter space accessed by MBE and MOCATAXY, phase-pure $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$(10$\bar{1}$0) and $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$(10$\bar{1}$0) thin films are realized. The presence of In on the $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ growth surface remarkably expands its growth window far into the metal-rich flux regime and to higher growth temperatures. With increasing O-to-Ga flux ratio ($R_{\text{O}}$), In incorporates into $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ up to $x \leq 0.08$. Upon a critical thickness, $β$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ nucleates and subsequently heteroepitaxially grows on top of $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ facets. Metal-rich MOCATAXY growth conditions, where $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ would not conventionally stabilize, lead to single-crystalline $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ with negligible In incorporation and improved surface morphology. Higher $T_{\text{G}}$ further results in single-crystalline $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ with well-defined terraces and step edges at their surfaces. For $R_{\text{O}} \leq 0.53$, In acts as a surfactant on the $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ growth surface by favoring step edges, while for $R_{\text{O}} \geq 0.8$, In incorporates and leads to a-plane $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ faceting and the subsequent ($\bar{2}$01) $β$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ growth on top. Thin film analysis by STEM reveals highly crystalline $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ layers and interfaces. We provide a phase diagram to guide the MBE and MOCATAXY growth of single-crystalline $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ on $α$-Al$_2$O$_3$(10$\bar{1}$0).
title Growth, catalysis and faceting of $α$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ and $α$-(In$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$)$_2$O$_3$ on $m$-plane $α$-Al$_2$O$_3$ by molecular beam epitaxy
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.12460