Indium alloying in <b> <i>ε</i> </b>-Ga2O3 for polarization and interfacial charge tuning

Abstract

Density functional theory was utilized to assess the influence of In alloying on the spontaneous (Psp) and piezoelectric (Ppe) polarization of ε-Ga2O3 heterostructures with In concentrations ranging from 0% to 50%. The analysis demonstrated a decrease in both Psp and Ppe with an increase in In concentration, described by the equations Psp = −9.5947x + 24.81 and Ppe = −0.6217x (where x represents the In concentration, with units in μC/cm2). Additionally, the polarization-induced two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) density within ε-InGaO/ε-Ga2O3 heterostructures was examined using a one-dimensional Schrödinger–Poisson solver. An inverse correlation was observed between 2DEG density and epitaxial thickness across all undoped In-alloyed samples. Furthermore, achieving high 2DEG densities (exceeding 1013 cm−2) is significantly facilitated by n-type doping concentrations above 1017 cm−3 in ε-InGaO. These insights not only augment the understanding of polarization effects in ε-Ga2O3 heterostructures but also provide a strategic framework for enhancing 2DEG density in ε-Ga2O3-based devices, which offers significant potential for advancing ε-Ga2O3-based high electron mobility transistors for power and RF applications.