Gallium Beam Etching of Gallium Oxide in a Molecular Beam Epitaxy System
Gallium Oxide, with its ultra-wide energy bandgap of 4.9 eV, has received significant attention in recent years in compound semiconductor research. Its high bandgap, doping and conductivity control, and high breakdown voltage make it attractive for high-power electronic device applications. Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) is a powerful technique used to grow ultra high-quality semiconductor crystalline thin films. This study investigates how the MBE system can be used also for etching Gallium Oxide. This study demonstrates that after adjusting the temperature and Ga molecular beam flux, the MBE etch process results in smooth surfaces, vertical sidewalls and controlled etch depths for β-phase Gallium Oxide. This study provides insights into the mechanism behind MBE etching of Gallium Oxide, as well as using this technique for future applications in Gallium Oxide based electronic devices.