Catalytic synthesis and photoluminescence of β-Ga2O3 nanowires

Abstract

Monoclinic gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) nanowires were synthesized by heat treating a composite material of GaAs and pre-evaporated Au at 1240 °C in dry oxygen atmosphere. The catalytic Au metal generated liquid nanoclusters that serve as reactive sites confining and directing the growth of β-Ga2O3 nanowires during the vapor-liquid-solid growth process. The β-Ga2O3 nanowires have diameters ranging from 20 to 50 nm and lengths of several micrometers. Photoluminescence measurement under excitation at 250 nm shows that the bulk β-Ga2O3 nanowires have a stable blue emission at 475 nm and an ultraviolet emission at 330 nm, which may be related to the defects such as the oxygen vacancy and the gallium–oxygen vacancy pair.