Novel Approach to Synthesize Nanostructured Gallium Oxide for Devices Operating in Harsh Environmental Conditions

Badriyah Alhalaili, Ruxandra Vidu, Ileana Nicoleta Popescu, Dhanu Radha Samyamanthula and M. Saif Islam
Additional contact information
Badriyah Alhalaili: Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Program, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Ruxandra Vidu: Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Ileana Nicoleta Popescu: Faculty of Materials Engineering and Mechanics, Valahia University of Targoviste, 13 Aleea Sinaia Street, 130004 Targoviste, Romania
Dhanu Radha Samyamanthula: Water Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
M. Saif Islam: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-10

Abstract: The importance of Ga 2 O 3 -based material for harsh environmental applications has attracted the interest of researchers in exploring various fabrication and growth techniques of Ga 2 O 3 -based nanomaterials using effective and low-cost processes. Herein, a demonstration to improve the wettability of liquid gallium on a rough silicon surface is presented. To control the roughness process, the silicon surface was patterned and groove-shape structures on the silicon were created using a photoelectrochemical (PEC) etching technique. Gallium oxide nanostructures were grown by thermal oxidation from liquid Ga in the presence and the absence of a silver thin film used as a catalyst. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the morphology of the nanostructures grown on the roughed surface of the silicon substrate. The conformal deposition of Ga 2 O 3 nanostructures inside the grooves of the PEC etched silicon surface was observed. The presence of Ag catalyst was found to completely change the morphology of Ga 2 O 3 . This method is recommended for the sustainable and low-cost synthesis of nanostructured gallium oxide for applications, including gas sensing.

Keywords: Ga 2 O 3 nanostructure; liquid Ga wettability; thin films; PEC etching; sustainable coating; SEM analysis; gas sensors; harsh environmental applications (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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