Annealing effects on the properties of Ga2O3 thin films grown on sapphire by the metal organic chemical vapor deposition

We have prepared the gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) thin films on sapphire substrates by the metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique. We have compared the two films with and without the thermal annealing by using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Postdeposition annealing of amorphous Ga₂O₃ films was found to increase the degree of crystallization and the surface roughness. The PL emission intensities of bands in the blue–green and the ultraviolet regions increased by the thermal annealing.