Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Boosting the performance of deep-ultraviolet photodetector arrays based on phase-transformed heteroepitaxial β-Ga2O3 films for solar-blind imaging

  • Article
  • Published:
Science China Technological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

    We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

    Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

Abstract

Solar-blind imaging has attracted considerable interest in both military and civilian applications, spurring the development of high-performance deep-ultraviolet photodetector arrays (PDAs) with wide-bandgap semiconductor materials. Herein, we present a novel method to enhance the performance of solar-blind PDAs (SBPDs) using β-Ga2O3 films obtained by the phase transition of heterogeneous epitaxial sub-stable ε-Ga2O3, achieved through high-temperature rapid annealing. Metal-semiconductor-metal-type SBPDs based on phase-transformed β-Ga2O3 films exhibited superior performance, including an ultrahigh responsivity of 459.38 A/W, detectivity of 1014−1015 Jones, external quantum efficiency of 104%−105%, rejection ratio (R254/R365) of 105−106, photo-to-dark current ratio of 104−106, fast response speed of 1.01 s/0.06 s, and favorable stability. Notably, the ultrahigh responsivity of β-Ga2O3-film-based devices was approximately 222-fold higher than that of ε-Ga2O3 film-based devices. The assembled 4 × 5 β-Ga2O3 film-based PDAs exhibited favorable uniformity, repeatability, and high spatial resolution for solar-blind imaging. Our study offers a promising approach for the development of high-performance β-Ga2O3-based PDAs for solar-blind ultraviolet imaging with potential applications in both military and civilian fields.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Li L, Ye S, Qu J, et al. Recent advances in perovskite photodetectors for image sensing. Small, 2021, 17: 2005606

    Google Scholar 

  2. Xu J, Zheng W, Huang F. Gallium oxide solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors: A review. J Mater Chem C, 2019, 7: 8753–8770

    Google Scholar 

  3. Guo D, Liu H, Li P, et al. Zero-power-consumption solar-blind photodetector based on β-Ga2O3/NSTO heterojunction. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2017, 9: 1619–1628

    Google Scholar 

  4. Lee S, Park T, Hur J, et al. Calcium titanate orthorhombic perovskitenickel oxide solar-blind UVC photodetectors with unprecedented long-term stability exceeding 500 days and their applications to realtime flame detection. ACS Photonics, 2022, 9: 4005–4016

    Google Scholar 

  5. Liu H, Zhou S, Zhang H, et al. Ultrasensitive fully transparent amorphous Ga2O3 solar-blind deep-ultraviolet photodetector for corona discharge detection. J Phys D-Appl Phys, 2022, 55: 305104

    Google Scholar 

  6. Zhou S, Zhang H, Peng X, et al. Fully transparent and high-performance ε-Ga2O3 photodetector arrays for solar-blind imaging and deep-ultraviolet communication. Adv Photonics Res, 2022, 3: 2270037

    Google Scholar 

  7. Guo D Y, Chen K, Wang S L, et al. Self-powered solar-blind photodetectors based on α/β phase junction of Ga2O3. Phys Rev Appl, 2020, 13: 024051

    Google Scholar 

  8. Liu L, Zhangyang X, Lv Z, et al. Theoretical study on photoemission of two-dimensional variable-Al composition AlxGa1−xN nanorod array photocathode. Appl Surf Sci, 2021, 544: 148866

    Google Scholar 

  9. Wang H, Tang H, Liu Q, et al. Laser thermal treatment-induced MgxZn1−xO gradient film and photodetector with solar-blind UV response. Physica Status Solidi (a), 2022, 219: 2200210

    Google Scholar 

  10. Qian L X, Wu Z H, Zhang Y Y, et al. Ultrahigh-responsivity, rapid-recovery, solar-blind photodetector based on highly nonstoichiometric amorphous gallium oxide. ACS Photonics, 2017, 4: 2203–2211

    Google Scholar 

  11. Zhang Z F, Lin C N, Yang X, et al. Wafer-sized polycrystalline diamond photodetector planar arrays for solar-blind imaging. J Mater Chem C, 2022, 10: 6488–6496

    Google Scholar 

  12. Wang J, Ye L, Wang X, et al. High transmittance β-Ga2O3 thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering and post-annealing for solar-blind ultraviolet photodetector. J Alloys Compd, 2019, 803: 9–15

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cai Q, You H, Guo H, et al. Progress on AlGaN-based solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors and focal plane arrays. Light Sci Appl, 2021, 10: 94

    Google Scholar 

  14. Tsao J Y, Chowdhury S, Hollis M A, et al. Ultrawide-bandgap semiconductors: Research opportunities and challenges. Adv Electron Mater, 2018, 4: 1600501

    Google Scholar 

  15. Li S, Yue J, Ji X, et al. Oxygen vacancies modulating the photodetector performances in ε-Ga2O3 thin films. J Mater Chem C, 2021, 9: 5437–5444

    Google Scholar 

  16. Shen H, Yin Y, Tian K, et al. Growth and characterization of β-Ga2O3 thin films by sol-gel method for fast-response solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors. J Alloys Compd, 2018, 766: 601–608

    Google Scholar 

  17. Zou X, Xie D, Sun Y, et al. Nanowires mediated growth of β-Ga2O3 nanobelts for high-temperature (> 573 K) solar-blind photodetectors. Nano Res, 2023, 16: 5548–5554

    Google Scholar 

  18. Higashiwaki M. β-Ga2O3 material properties, growth technologies, and devices: A review. AAPPS Bull, 2022, 32: 3

    Google Scholar 

  19. Rafique S, Han L, Zhao H. Thermal annealing effect on β-Ga2O3 thin film solar blind photodetector heteroepitaxially grown on sapphire substrate. Phys Status Solidi A, 2017, 214: 1700063

    Google Scholar 

  20. Wu C, Wu F, Hu H, et al. Review of self-powered solar-blind photodetectors based on Ga2O3. Mater Today Phys, 2022, 28: 100883

    Google Scholar 

  21. Cheng Y, Ye J, Lai L, et al. Ambipolarity regulation of deep-UV photocurrent by controlling crystalline phases in Ga2O3 nanostructure for switchable logic applications. Adv Elect Mater, 2023, 9: 2201216

    Google Scholar 

  22. Wu C, Wu F, Ma C, et al. A general strategy to ultrasensitive Ga2O3 based self-powered solar-blind photodetectors. Mater Today Phys, 2022, 23: 100643

    Google Scholar 

  23. Ma J, Xia X, Yan S, et al. Stable and self-powered solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors based on a Cs3Cu2I5/β-Ga2O3 heterojunction prepared by dual-source vapor codeposition. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2021, 13: 15409–15419

    Google Scholar 

  24. Chen X, Liu K, Zhang Z, et al. Self-powered solar-blind photodetector with fast response based on Au/β-Ga2O3 nanowires array film Schottky junction. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2016, 8: 4185–4191

    Google Scholar 

  25. Wu C, Wu F, Hu H, et al. Work function tunable laser induced graphene electrodes for Schottky type solar-blind photodetectors. Appl Phys Lett, 2022, 120: 101102

    Google Scholar 

  26. Xie C, Lu X, Liang Y, et al. Patterned growth of β-Ga2O3 thin films for solar-blind deep-ultraviolet photodetectors array and optical imaging application. J Mater Sci Tech, 2021, 72: 189–196

    Google Scholar 

  27. Chen Y C, Lu Y J, Liu Q, et al. Ga2O3 photodetector arrays for solar-blind imaging. J Mater Chem C, 2019, 7: 2557–2562

    Google Scholar 

  28. Qin Y, Li L H, Yu Z, et al. Ultra-high performance amorphous Ga2O3 photodetector arrays for solar-blind imaging. Adv Sci, 2021, 8: 2101106

    Google Scholar 

  29. Li X X, Zeng G, Li Y C, et al. High responsivity and flexible deep-UV phototransistor based on Ta-doped β-Ga2O3. npj Flex Electron, 2022, 6: 47

    Google Scholar 

  30. Tak B R, Singh R. Ultra-low noise and self-powered β-Ga2O3 deep ultraviolet photodetector array with large linear dynamic range. ACS Appl Electron Mater, 2021, 3: 2145–2151

    Google Scholar 

  31. Chen Y, Yang X, Zhang Y, et al. Ultra-sensitive flexible Ga2O3 solar-blind photodetector array realized via ultra-thin absorbing medium. Nano Res, 2022, 15: 3711–3719

    Google Scholar 

  32. Chen Y C, Lu Y J, Lin C N, et al. Self-powered diamond/β-Ga2O3 photodetectors for solar-blind imaging. J Mater Chem C, 2018, 6: 5727–5732

    Google Scholar 

  33. Shen G H, Liu Z, Tang K, et al. High responsivity and fast response 8×8 β-Ga2O3 solar-blind ultraviolet imaging photodetector array. Sci China Tech Sci, 2023, 66: doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-022-2404-8

  34. Shapenkov S, Vyvenko O, Ubyivovk E, et al. Halide vapor phase epitaxy α- and ε-Ga2O3 epitaxial films grown on patterned sapphire substrates. Phys Status Solidi A, 2020, 217: 1900892

    Google Scholar 

  35. Goto K, Nakahata H, Murakami H, et al. Temperature dependence of Ga2O3 growth by halide vapor phase epitaxy on sapphire and β-Ga2O3 substrates. Appl Phys Lett, 2020, 117: 222101

    Google Scholar 

  36. Hsu Y H, Wu W Y, Lin K L, et al. ε-Ga2O3 grown on c-plane sapphire by MOCVD with a multistep growth process. Cryst Growth Des, 2022, 22: 1837–1845

    Google Scholar 

  37. Wang X, Qiao H, Liu T, et al. Ultraviolet photoluminescence of β-Ga2O3 microparticles synthesized by hydrothermal method. J Mater Sci-Mater Electron, 2022, 33: 13040–13050

    Google Scholar 

  38. Alfaraj N, Li K H, Kang C H, et al. Epitaxial growth of β-Ga2O3/ε-Ga2O3 polymorphic heterostructures on C-plane sapphire for deep-ultraviolet optoelectronics. Opt Mater Express, 2020, 11281: 112810G

    Google Scholar 

  39. Zhang X, Jiang D, Zhao M, et al. The effect of annealing temperature on Ga2O3 film properties. J Phys-Conf Ser, 2021, 1965: 012066

    Google Scholar 

  40. Wang Q, Chen J, Huang P, et al. Influence of growth temperature on the characteristics of β-Ga2O3 epitaxial films and related solar-blind photodetectors. Appl Surf Sci, 2019, 489: 101–109

    Google Scholar 

  41. Wang Y, Li S, Cao J, et al. Improved response speed of β-Ga2O3 solar-blind photodetectors by optimizing illumination and bias. Mater Des, 2022, 221: 110917

    Google Scholar 

  42. Xie C, Lu X T, Ma M R, et al. Catalyst-free vapor-solid deposition growth of β-Ga2O3 nanowires for DUV photodetector and image sensor application. Adv Opt Mater, 2019, 7: 1901257

    Google Scholar 

  43. Zhou S, Zheng Q, Yu C, et al. A high-performance ε-Ga2O3-based deep-ultraviolet photodetector array for solar-blind imaging. Materials, 2022, 16: 295

    Google Scholar 

  44. Qin Y, Li L, Zhao X, et al. Metal-semiconductor-metal ε-Ga2O3 solar-blind photodetectors with a record-high responsivity rejection ratio and their gain mechanism. ACS Photonics, 2020, 7: 812–820

    Google Scholar 

  45. Lv Z, Yan S, Mu W, et al. A high responsivity and photosensitivity self-powered UV photodetector constructed by the CuZnS/Ga2O3 heterojunction. Adv Mater Inter, 2023, 10: 2202130

    Google Scholar 

  46. Li K, Yang X, Tian Y, et al. Ga2O3 solar-blind position-sensitive detectors. Sci China-Phys Mech Astron, 2020, 63: 117312

    Google Scholar 

  47. Oh S, Kim C K, Kim J. High responsivity β-Ga2O3 metal-semiconductor-metal solar-blind photodetectors with ultraviolet transparent graphene electrodes. ACS Photonics, 2017, 5: 1123–1128

    Google Scholar 

  48. Chen L, Wang B, Dong J, et al. Insights into the pyro-phototronic effect in p-Si/n-ZnO nanowires heterojunction toward high-performance near-infrared photosensing. Nano Energy, 2020, 78: 105260

    Google Scholar 

  49. Huang Z, Zhou S, Chen L, et al. Fully transparent amorphous Ga2O3-based solar-blind ultraviolet photodetector with graphitic carbon electrodes. Crystals, 2022, 12: 1427

    Google Scholar 

  50. Wang J, Xiong Y, Ye L, et al. Balanced performance for β-Ga2O3 solar blind photodetectors: The role of oxygen vacancies. Optical Mater, 2021, 112: 110808

    Google Scholar 

  51. Liu Z, Huang Y, Zhang C, et al. Fabrication of ε-Ga2O3 solar-blind photodetector with symmetric interdigital Schottky contacts responding to low intensity light signal. J Phys D-Appl Phys, 2020, 53: 295109

    Google Scholar 

  52. Zhang D, Zheng W, Lin R C, et al. High quality β-Ga2O3 film grown with N2O for high sensitivity solar-blind-ultraviolet photodetector with fast response speed. J Alloys Compd, 2018, 735: 150–154

    Google Scholar 

  53. Qian L X, Liu H Y, Zhang H F, et al. Simultaneously improved sensitivity and response speed of β-Ga2O3 solar-blind photodetector via localized tuning of oxygen deficiency. Appl Phys Lett, 2019, 114: 113506

    Google Scholar 

  54. Huang C Y, Lin G Y, Liu Y Y, et al. On the response of gamma irradiation on atomic layer deposition-grown β-Ga2O3 films and Au-β-Ga2O3-Au deep ultraviolet solar-blind photodetectors. J Vacuum Sci Tech A, 2020, 38: 062409

    Google Scholar 

  55. Jiang Z X, Wu Z Y, Ma C C, et al. P-type β-Ga2O3 metal-semiconductor-metal solar-blind photodetectors with extremely high responsivity and gain-bandwidth product. Mater Today Phys, 2020, 14: 100226

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chongqing Key Laboratory of Photo-Electric Functional Materials, College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China

    QiQi Zheng, LingRui Chen, XuDong Li, Ke Ding, Di Pang, HongLin Li, YuanQiang Xiong, WanJun Li, LiJuan Ye, Hong Zhang & ChunYang Kong

  2. Research Center for Materials Interdisciplinary Sciences, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, 402160, China

    HaiBo Ruan

  3. College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China

    Liang Fang

Authors
  1. QiQi Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. LingRui Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. XuDong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ke Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Di Pang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. HongLin Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. YuanQiang Xiong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. HaiBo Ruan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Liang Fang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. WanJun Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. LiJuan Ye
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Hong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. ChunYang Kong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to WanJun Li, LiJuan Ye or Hong Zhang.

Additional information

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11904041 and 12104077), the Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing (Grant Nos. cstc2020jcyj-msxmX0557, cstc2019jcyj-msxmX0237, cstc2020jcyj-msxmX0533, and CSTB2022BSXM-JCX0090), the Science and Technology Research Project of Chongqing Education Committee (Grant Nos. KJQN202100540, KJQN202000511, and KJQN202100501), and the College Students Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program of Chongqing City (Grant No. S202210637052).

Supporting information

The supporting information is available online at tech.scichina.com and link.springer.com. The supporting materials are published as submitted, without typesetting or editing. The responsibility for scientific accuracy and content remains entirely with the authors.

Supporting Information

11431_2023_2416_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Boosting the performance of deep-ultraviolet photodetector arrays based on phase-transformed heteroepitaxial β-Ga2O3 films for solar-blind imaging

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zheng, Q., Chen, L., Li, X. et al. Boosting the performance of deep-ultraviolet photodetector arrays based on phase-transformed heteroepitaxial β-Ga2O3 films for solar-blind imaging. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 66, 2707–2715 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-023-2416-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-023-2416-6

Search

Navigation