Research 01 · Ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors

Gallium oxideEngineered from atoms to epitaxy

EPID studies Ga₂O₃ as a complete materials platform—from precursor chemistry and polymorph selection to defects, interfaces, and transferable epitaxial layers. Our goal is to create the materials foundation for electronics that operate beyond today's voltage, temperature, and efficiency limits.

Power electronics applications including an electric vehicle, energy storage system, offshore wind turbines, and a high-speed train

Power electronics applicationse-MobilityEnergy · Rail · Wind

Overview

See the whole materialDesign every layer

We connect crystal chemistry, epitaxial growth, structural characterization, and defect physics. Each result informs the next growth cycle, moving Ga₂O₃ toward controllable, reproducible, and device-ready material.

Crystal & phase engineering

Stabilizing α, β, and ε(κ) phases through substrate selection, surface chemistry, temperature, and precursor design.

Epitaxy & doping

Controlling nucleation, orientation, thickness, alloy composition, and donor incorporation using MIST-CVD and MOCVD.

Defects & interfaces

Linking extended and point defects to transport, breakdown, trapping, and long-term device reliability.

Epitaxy

Two growth routesOne materials platform

Complementary reactors let us explore chemistry rapidly, then translate the learning into uniform and scalable epitaxial layers.

MIST-CVDSolution-enabled

Phase and dopant control through liquid chemistry.

Precursor
solution→Ultrasonic
mist→Heated
reactor→α / κ
Ga₂O₃

Gallium-ligand and solvent chemistry
Growth-temperature and reactor-position mapping
Sn donor incorporation and electrical activation
α/κ phase selection on sapphire templates

MOCVDVapor-phase scalable

Uniform epitaxy for device-scale heterostructures.

Metal-organic
precursor→Oxidant +
carrier gas→Showerhead
susceptor→β-(Al,Ga)₂O₃
epilayer

Surface-reaction and nucleation kinetics
Thickness, composition, and doping uniformity
β-Ga₂O₃ homo- and heteroepitaxy
Bandgap-engineered (Al,Ga)₂O₃ layers

Polymorphs

One chemistryDistinct crystal worlds

The properties of Ga₂O₃ depend strongly on its atomic arrangement. We compare growth windows, phase stability, strain, polarity, and defect formation across the three polymorph families most relevant to epitaxial electronics.

Three-dimensional crystal structure model of alpha gallium oxide

Corundum · metastable

Alpha-Ga₂O₃

≈ 5.1–5.3 eV

Heteroepitaxy on c-plane sapphire, phase-pure growth windows, donor incorporation, and strain-aware defect control using MIST-CVD.

Three-dimensional monoclinic crystal structure model of beta gallium oxide

Monoclinic · stable

Beta-Ga₂O₃

≈ 4.8–4.9 eV

Homo- and heteroepitaxial films, alloy and doping control, vertical device layers, and interface engineering for high-field power electronics.

Three-dimensional polar crystal structure model of kappa gallium oxide

ε(κ)

Polar orthorhombic · metastable

Epsilon (Kappa)-Ga₂O₃

≈ 4.9–5.1 eV

Phase stabilization, rotational-domain suppression, polarization-enabled heterostructures, and thin-film growth on crystalline templates.

Defects & analysis

Make the invisibleActionable

Atomic-scale images reveal where an epitaxial layer begins, how lattice mismatch is accommodated, and which defects propagate into the active material. We connect these observations to growth conditions and electrical behavior.

VacanciesDonor statesDislocationsStacking faultsRotational domainsInterfaces

HRTEM-style visualization of an ordered single-crystalline beta gallium oxide atomic lattice with a localized lattice distortion

XRD · RSM

Phase, orientation, strain, mosaicity, and epitaxial relationship

AFM

Nucleation, step evolution, roughness, and surface morphology

TEM · STEM · EDS

Interfaces, dislocations, stacking faults, domains, and chemistry

XPS · CL · DLTS

Chemical states, optical centers, and electrically active traps

Three-dimensional remote epitaxy structure with a sapphire substrate, graphene interlayer, and a lifting gallium oxide single-crystal layer — Sapphire substrateGraphene interlayerGa₂O₃ single crystal

Future platform · Remote epitaxy

Grow and releaseIntegrate again

We explore remote epitaxy through atomically thin 2D interlayers. The approach aims to preserve crystallographic guidance during growth while weakening interfacial bonding—opening paths to freestanding Ga₂O₃ membranes, heterogeneous integration, and reusable crystalline substrates.

2D-interlayer continuity and surface cleanliness
Nucleation through the transmitted substrate potential
Low-damage release and membrane transfer
Integration on thermally and mechanically engineered hosts

Join EPID

Build the material behind the next limit

We welcome students and researchers interested in Ga₂O₃ epitaxy, advanced characterization, defect physics, and power devices.

Contact EPID ↗