Indium-doped α-Ga2O3 nanorod arrays for ultrasensitive solar-blind UV photodetector application

Abstract

Ultrawide-bandgap Ga₂O₃ semiconductor has emerged as a promising candidate for next-generation solar-blind UV photodetection, with potential applications in fire alarms, optical communication, UV imaging, and other areas. However, their very slow response has prevented the further commercialization of Ga₂O₃ photodetectors. Herein, we designed a solar-blind UV photodetector based on In-doped Ga₂O₃ arrays, demonstrating competitive performances, with excellent photoelectric response times of 24.8 ms (rise) and 27.6 ms (decay), high detectivity (1.55 × 10¹⁴ Jones), and a high responsivity of 30.1 A W⁻¹. Space charge-limiting current (SCLC) measurements revealed that In-doped Ga₂O₃ can decrease the trap-state density of photogenerated carriers during their transport. Besides, the photodetector could maintain high performance under a light intensity of 1.5 μW cm⁻². The distinct solar-blind UV imaging and optical communication abilities of the In-doped Ga₂O₃ photodetector indicate its significant potential for future applications.