【Epitaxy Papers】Enhancing solar-blind ultraviolet photodetection performance of room-temperature sputtered amorphous Ga₂O₃ thin films by doping zinc

      Researchers from the Liaoning Normal University have published a dissertation titled "Enhancing solar-blind ultraviolet photodetection performance of room-temperature sputtered amorphous Ga₂O₃ thin films by doping zinc" in Surfaces and Interfaces.

Abstract

      Amorphous Ga₂O₃ offers a low-temperature, lattice-mismatch-free platform for large-area UV photodetectors, yet the role of intentional doping remains underexplored. Here, we demonstrate the successful room-temperature deposition of amorphous Zn‑doped Ga₂O₃ thin films via radio‑frequency magnetron sputtering, achieving Zn incorporation by embedding Zn metal blocks into a Ga₂O₃ ceramic target. We systematically varied the Zn concentration from 0 to 3.82 at % and examined its effects on film structure, optics, and solar‑blind UV photodetection. X‑ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy confirm that all films remain amorphous with smooth, uniform morphology. Optical absorption measurements reveal a bandgap redshift from 5.09 to 4.85 eV as Zn content increases. Photodetectors based on 2.63 at% Zn-doped films deliver outstanding performance under 254 nm illumination: responsivity (R) of 33.4 A/W, specific detectivity (D*) of 9.41 × 10¹² Jones, and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 16,317.1 %. They also demonstrate excellent stability, reproducibility, and rise/fall times below 0.5 s. These findings establish room‑temperature‑deposited Zn‑doped amorphous Ga₂O₃ as a low‑cost, high‑performance platform for next‑generation solar‑blind UV photodetectors.

DOI：

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfin.2025.107402