Electrical conductivity, luminescence, and deep acceptor levels in β-Ga2O3-In2O3 polycrystalline solid solution doped with Zr4+ or Ca2+ ions

Photoluminescence, luminescence excitation spectra, and electrical conductivity of β-Ga2O3-In2O3 solid solutions were studied. For this purpose, polycrystalline samples of unintentionally doped (UID) and doped with Ca or Zr β-Ga2O3-In2O3 solid solution with 20% In were synthesized and characterized. All samples were obtained by the high-temperature solid-phase method from appropriate oxides at 1300 °C at low and high oxygen partial pressure. It was established that UID and doped with Ca2+ or Zr4+ samples synthesized in an oxygen atmosphere were highly resistive, while the samples synthesized in an argon atmosphere had high conductivity. The conductivity was the lowest in the samples doped with Ca2+ and was 10−13 Ω−1 cm−1, while in the samples doped with Zr4+, the electrical conductivity was the highest and reached 10−3 Ω−1 cm−1. The broadband luminescence of β-Ga2O3-In2O3 solid solution is a superposition of three elementary bands with maxima in the violet 3.08 eV, blue 2.73 eV, and green 2.45 eV regions of the spectrum. Doping with Ca2+ or Zr4+ impurities and varying the synthesis atmosphere led mainly to a redistribution of intensities between the elementary luminescence bands. The luminescence arises from the radiative recombination of charge carriers through donor–acceptor pairs and self-localized holes. Donors and acceptors are formed by native defects such as (Gai, VGa, VGaVo) or doping impurities (Zr4+, Ca2+). Unlike the luminescence spectra, the luminescence excitation spectra change significantly when the synthesis conditions vary or when doping with divalent impurities. The excitation band at 4.46 eV is due to electron transitions from the VGa or VGaVO acceptor levels to the conduction band. Electron transitions from acceptor levels of Ca2+ impurities are manifested in the intense excitation band at 4.1 eV.