Formation of ZnGa2O4 films by multilayer deposition and subsequent thermal annealing

Abstract

The Ga2O3/ZnO multilayer films are deposited on quartz substrates by magnetron sputtering, the thickness values of Ga2O3 layers are in a range of 19 nm–2.5 nm and the thickness of ZnO layer is a constant of 1 nm. Formation of spinel ZnGa2O4 film is achieved via the annealing of the Ga2O3/ZnO multilayer film. The influences of original Ga2O3 sublayer thickness on the optical and structural properties of Ga2O3/ZnO multilayer films and annealed films are studied. With the decrease of the thickness of Ga2O3 sublayer, the optical band-gap of Ga2O3/ZnO multilayer film decreases, the intensity of UV emission diminishes and the intensity of violet emission increases. The annealed film displays the enlarged optical band gap and the quenched violet emission. UV fluorescence bands are observed from Ga2O3 and ZnGa2O4.