Highly Textured Sn‐Doped Ga₂O₃ Epilayers for Economically Viable Solar‐Blind Ultraviolet Photodetectors with High Responsivity

Abstract The design and development of solar‐blind photodetectors utilizing ultrawide bandgap semiconductors have garnered significant attention due to their extensive utility in specialty commercial sectors. Solar‐blind photodetectors that display excellent photosensitivity, fast response time and are produced using cost‐effective fabrication steps will fulfill the performance demands in relevant applications. Herein, highly textured Sn‐doped Ga₂O₃ thin film metal‐semiconductor‐metal type deep‐UV photodetectors using a commercially scalable magnetron sputtering method are reported. Commercially achievable growth and fabrication steps are intentionally chosen to demonstrate an economically viable photodetection workflow without compromising the device's performance. In‐depth structural, morphological, chemical, and optical characterization are reported to optimize the configuration for further device fabrication and testing. Under transient triggering circumstances, a fast response time of ≈500 ms is reported, accompanied by a responsivity of ≈60.5 A W⁻¹. The detectivity, external quantum efficiency, and photo‐to‐dark current ratio values are reported as 1.6 × 10¹³ Jones, 2.8 × 10⁴%, and 17.4, respectively. The overall device performance and cost‐effective fabrication process for solar‐blind UV photodetection using Sn‐doped Ga₂O₃ is promising. The approach holds promise for significant implications toward the development of electronics capable of functioning in extreme environments and exhibits substantial potential for enhancing low‐cost UV photodetector technology.