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Scalable Growth and Properties of (AlxGa1−x)2O3 Thin Films on 2- and 4-Inch Sapphire via Close-Coupled Showerhead MOCVD
,
Zdenko Zápražný,
Edmund Dobročka,
Filip Gucmann,
Dan Lamb
physica status solidi (a), Volume: 223, Issue: 6
Swansea University Authors:
Ciaran Llewelyn , Dan Lamb
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DOI (Published version): 10.1002/pssa.202500608
Abstract
A series of (AlxGa1−x)2O3 thin films were deposited using an AIXTRON Close-Coupled Showerhead (CCS) metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) system to study aluminium (Al) incorporation into the β-Ga2O3 lattice. Films ≈1.2 μm thick were grown on 2-inch and 4-inch c-plane sapphire substrates....
| Published in: | physica status solidi (a) |
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| ISSN: | 1862-6300 1862-6319 |
| Published: |
Wiley
2026
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| Online Access: |
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71413 |
| Abstract: |
A series of (AlxGa1−x)2O3 thin films were deposited using an AIXTRON Close-Coupled Showerhead (CCS) metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) system to study aluminium (Al) incorporation into the β-Ga2O3 lattice. Films ≈1.2 μm thick were grown on 2-inch and 4-inch c-plane sapphire substrates. A linear relationship between film composition and precursor ratio indicated near-ideal alloying behaviour. Growth kinetics were composition-dependent, where Al incorporation reduced growth rates compared to gallium (Ga), although pure Al2O3 grew faster than intermediate alloys. The films exhibited high optical transmittance (82–88%), with a tuneable bandgap increasing with Al content. Morphological changes and increased roughness were observed up to Al x = 0.42, suggesting a possible phase transition. X-ray diffraction, rocking curve measurements and pole figure confirmed the monoclinic β-phase for the Ga2O3 only film, with strong, well-defined Bragg peaks. For Al2O3, only the substrate and nucleation layer reflections were visible, consistent with epitaxial Al2O3 growth on sapphire. The largest rocking curve full width half maximum was observed for samples with Al content x equals 0.12 and 0.42, which can be correlated with significant changes in the thin film surface morphology. The successful extension from 2-inch to 4-inch wafers highlights the scalability and uniformity of the CCS MOCVD process. |
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| Keywords: |
4-inch sapphire; aluminium gallium oxide; gallium oxide; MOCVD; semiconductors |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Grant Number: EP/T019085/1;
Agentúra na Podporu Výskumu a Vývoja. Grant Numbers: APVV-24-0325, SK-TW-RD-24-0006 |
| Issue: |
6 |