【Substrate Papers】Multiphysical field full-process simulation of gallium oxide with EFG approach

      Researchers from the Wuhan University have published a dissertation titled "Multiphysical field full-process simulation of gallium oxide with EFG approach" in Journal of the American Ceramic Society.

Abstract

      The quality of single-crystal growth for ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor material β-Ga₂O₃, a crucial material for the next generation of power electronic devices, currently constrains its broader applications. In this work, the edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) process of gallium oxide (β-Ga₂O₃) single crystals is simulated and analyzed, the thermal field in the growth furnace is designed, and the appropriate crystal growth conditions are determined through multiphysical field full-process simulation, aiming to optimize the crystal quality. By introducing the volume force and Lorentz force, the solid–liquid phase transition and temperature distribution in the crucible are analyzed comprehensively. The optimal capillary gap width of 0.5 mm during crystal transport is obtained by the two-phase flow method. The structure and thermal field of the meniscus are analyzed in detail using the equivalent circle model, and the optimal range of the meniscus height is determined to be 0.90–2.94 mm. Finally, the crystal quality is compared using the EFG growth approach with and without the optimized process. The results demonstrate a significant improvement in crystal quality following the optimization process informed by our proposed full-process simulation. This research provides pioneering concepts and strategies for the further design and optimization of the EFG system for β-Ga₂O₃ and related materials.

DOI：

https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.20421