Photoluminescence Properties of β-Ga2O3 Thin Films Produced by Ion-Plasma Sputtering

Photoluminescence and photoexcitation spectra of β-Ga 2 O 3 thin films prepared by high-frequency ion-plasma sputtering in an Ar atmosphere were investigated. Photoluminescence spectra were deconvoluted by the Alentsev—Fock method into ultimate constituents. The nature of two strong bands with maxima at 2.95 and 3.14 eV and two weak bands with maxima at 3.90 and 4.25 eV was discussed. The two strong bands were attributed to an associate originating from the interaction of oxygen and gallium vacancies; the weak ones, recombination of excitons in quantum wells formed by acceptor clusters. It was found that the damping time constant for the 3.14-eV band was 105 μs; for the 2.95-eV band, 114 μs. The similarity of the decay time constants for these bands confirmed their relationship to a common associate.