【Substrate Papers】Material Removal and Damage Mechanisms in Laser-assisted Polishing of β-Ga₂O₃: Atomic-scale Insights

      Researchers from the Hefei University of Technology have published a dissertation titled "Material Removal and Damage Mechanisms in Laser-assisted Polishing of β-Ga₂O₃: Atomic-scale Insights" in Tribology Internationa.

Abstract

      The ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor material β-Ga₂O₃ faces significant challenges in achieving high-efficiency ultra-precision manufacturing without causing damage. This paper presents the material removal and damage mechanisms in atomic-scale laser-assisted polishing of β-Ga₂O₃ using machine learning molecular dynamics (MLMD) simulation and experimental verification methods. The findings demonstrate that both the polishing force and the coefficient of friction are greatly decreased by increasing laser power. Shear strain and dislocation density are efficiently suppressed by suitable laser power, but subsurface damage is made worse by excessive laser power. The root-mean-square surface roughness decreases as the laser power increases and the polishing speed decreases. The mechanical properties of β-Ga₂O₃ are confirmed to be strongly dependent on thermal effects by high-temperature nanoindentation tests.

DOI：

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2025.111090