Solution-processed gallium oxide semiconductor nanomaterials via surface chemical activity of liquid metals

Abstract

The fourth-generation semiconductor material, gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) has received extensive attention for its wide bandgap, ultra-high breakdown electric field, high temperature resistance, and better radiation resistance. Ga₂O₃ nanomaterials are primarily synthesized through the thermal treatment of gallium oxyhydroxide (GaOOH), but the synthesis methods of GaOOH depend on complex reaction process, high temperature and high pressure, precision equipment and other reaction conditions, resulting the applicability is significantly limited. Herein, a straightforward, flexible, environmentally friendliness, and maneuverable method for synthesizing GaOOH is presented. Under ambient conditions, when liquid metals (LMs) were immersed in deionized water (DI water), the Ga atoms on their surface can capture the oxygen atoms and oxygen-containing groups at lower energies, thereby transforming into nano-GaOOH. Moreover, LMs exhibit high surface tension and fluidity, which facilitates the easy detachment of GaOOH nanomaterials from their surface under mechanical agitation. Simultaneously, the triboelectrification between LMs and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) facilitates the reaction. Furthermore, the GaOOH nanomaterials were annealed into Ga₂O₃ nanomaterials. This strategy is grounded in the principles of sustainability and efficiency, which can be implemented on a large scale. This approach plays a crucial role in advancing modern semiconductor technology and holds significant practical implications as well as promising development prospects.