Ultra-Fast Gallium Oxide Solar-Blind Photodetector with Novel Thermal Pulse Treatment

Abstract

Gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) emerges as a promising solar-blind photodetector (SBPD) material if the “Response Speed (RS) dilemma” can be resolved. Devices with spatially segregated carrier generation and transport channels offer a potential solution but remain less available. This work introduces a novel thermal pulse treatment (TPT) method to achieve a vertically stratified crystalline structure and oxygen vacancies (V_O) throughout the Ga₂O₃ film, validated through extensive characterizations. Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) simulations corroborated the critical role of V_O stratification in enhancing the responsivity (R_λ) and response speed simultaneously. Consequently, the TPT-processed SBPD exhibited exceptional performance, boasting a maximum R_λ of 312.6 A W⁻¹ and a faster decay time of 40 µs, respectively. Moreover, the corresponding SBPD chips show significant potential for applications in solar-blind imaging, light trajectory tracking, and solar-blind power meters. This work thus provides a viable strategy to address the “RS dilemma” common in most wide-bandgap materials, showcasing excellent application value.