A solar-blind photodetector based on β-Ga2O3 film deposited on MgO (100) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering

β-Ga2O3 thin films were deposited on the MgO (100) substrates at 600 °C, 650 °C and 700 °C by the radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The film fabricated at 700 °C has high crystallinity with the orientation relationship of β-Ga2O3 (100)||MgO (100). The metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) structured solar-blind photodetectors were prepared based on the β-Ga2O3 film fabricated at 700 °C successfully. In this study, the photodetector has excellent performance with the extremely low dark current 3.5 pA at 10 V bias, and the Ilight/Idark ratio is over 104 with short rise time (0.07 s/0.53 s) and decay time (0.06 s/0.16 s). Low dark current and short rise time and decay time can be both achieved simultaneously. The good consistency and repeatability of the sample show great potential in the practical applications of solar-blind photodetectors. •Ga2O3 film with (100) preferred orientation was deposited on MgO substrate by RF magnetron sputtering.•Ga2O3 film grown at 700 °C has high crystalline quality.•Photodetector based Ga2O3 has low dark current (3.5 pA) and high Ilight/Idark radio (>104).•The rise time (0.07s/0.53s) and decay time (0.06s/0.16s) is short.•The detector has good consistency and repeatability.