Wurtzite-derived ternary I-III-O2 semiconductors

Ternary zincblende-derived I-III-VI 2 chalcogenide and II-IV-V 2 pnictide semiconductors have been widely studied and some have been put to practical use. In contrast to the extensive research on these semiconductors, previous studies into ternary I-III-O 2 oxide semiconductors with a wurtzite-derived β-NaFeO 2 structure are limited. Wurtzite-derived β-LiGaO 2 and β-AgGaO 2 form alloys with ZnO and the band gap of ZnO can be controlled to include the visible and ultraviolet regions. β-CuGaO 2 , which has a direct band gap of 1.47 eV, has been proposed for use as a light absorber in thin film solar cells. These ternary oxides may thus allow new applications for oxide semiconductors. However, information about wurtzite-derived ternary I-III-O 2 semiconductors is still limited. In this paper we review previous studies on β-LiGaO 2 , β-AgGaO 2 and β-CuGaO 2 to determine guiding principles for the development of wurtzite-derived I-III-O 2 semiconductors.