Leyna Chau
Project Year
Leyna Chau

Increased attention on aluminum gallium oxide as a potential semiconductor material, particularly for photodetector applications, has emerged in recent years due to an increased demand for ultrawide-bandgap semiconductors that can withstand high electric fields and temperatures. ꞵ-Ga2O3 (GO) has been extensively studied as an ultrawide-bandgap semiconductor material and there is potential to increase its band gap by alloying it with aluminum (Al). Aluminum oxide has a high bandgap and aluminum shares a similar electronic structure and atomic size with gallium.  The primary goal of this research project is to explore the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of AGO films by varying the processing conditions, particularly the oxygen partial pressure (pO2). The samples were produced by varying the pO2 in the range of 0-200 mTorr.  The PLD AGO films were analyzed by studying the structure, surface morphology, and optical properties. The effect of pO2 on the structure and properties of PLD AGO films is established.

Major
Chemical Engineering
University
University of California Santa Barbara
Faculty Sponsor(s):
Chintalapalle Ramana
Departments:
Mechanical Engineering
Mentor(s):
Nathan Episcopo