【Epitaxy Papers】Gallium clusters in non-stoichiometric gallium oxide films: a hidden electrical conduction pathway

      Researchers from Institut des NanoSciences de Paris have published a dissertation titled " Gallium clusters in non-stoichiometric gallium oxide films: a hidden electrical conduction pathway " in Applied Surface Science.

Abstract

      The correlation between microstructure and electrical properties of highly non-stoichiometric gallium oxide thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition with an O/Ga ratio of about 0.8–1.1 was investigated by means of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, electrical measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A new insight is brought to the modification of the metallic clusters due to the current flow in such non-stoichiometric gallium oxide thin films that introduces localized conduction pathways. The formation of a mixed-valence gallium oxide system with embedded metallic Ga clusters, Ga₂O₃ nanocrystallites within the amorphous high oxygen deficient gallium oxide matrix is demonstrated. The microstructural observations of the gallium oxide films before and after electrical measurements show that the current flow induces a significant modification of the metallic Ga clusters. The control of the reversible formation of Ga elongated cluster under an applied bias makes such highly oxygen-deficient gallium oxide an interesting candidate for memristive devices, where controlled filament formation and mixed valence are critical for performance.

DOI：

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2026.167698