Tuning of crystal structure and electronic band gap of the monoclinic Ga2O3 by simultaneous alloying with Al2O3 and In2O3
摘要
The paper presents the study of phase and structural behavior of pseudoternary compound (Ga1-x-yInxAly)2O3 with focus on the compositional cross-section where the x/y ratio is a fixed at 0.31/0.69. This specific ratio ensures that the average cation radius, equal to that of Ga3+ ions, remains unchanged. Through the combination of experimental XRD studies and DFT calculations, the stability region of the monoclinic phase within the Ga2O3–Al2O3–In2O3 ternary system was established. Detailed analysis of the crystal lattice parameters and unit cell volume of the monoclinic structure was carried out across a wide range of compositions. An empirical relationship was derived linking the monoclinic lattice parameters to the average ionic radius of the cations (Ga3+, Al3+, In3+) enabling prediction of lattice parameters in monoclinic (Ga1-x-yInxAly)2O3 solely from chemical composition. The experimental crystal structure studies and the electronic structure calculations suggest that in the monoclinic (Ga1-x-yInxAly)2O3 structure the tetrahedral positions of Ga1 atoms are preferentially occupied by Ga3+ and Al3+ cations, while the octahedral Ga2 sites accommodate a mixture of Ga3+, Al3+ and In3+ cations. Additionally, the presence of unidentified phase(s) was confirmed in the central region of the Ga2O3–Al2O3–In2O3 triangle. Comparison of the calculated optical absorption spectra and the Tauc-plots derived from the diffuse reflectance spectra indicate that the monoclinic (Ga1−x−yInxAly)2O3 compounds have a direct band gap.