Thermodynamic study of β-Ga2O3 growth by halide vapor phase epitaxy

•We perform thermodynamic analysis of β-Ga2O3 growth by HVPE.•Use of GaCl and O2 as precursors is appropriate for the growth of β-Ga2O3 by HVPE.•The growth is expected up to 1600 °C when H2 is not included in the carrier gas.•With increase of H2 in the carrier gas, driving force of the Ga2O3 growth decreases.•The β-Ga2O3 growth by HVPE using GaCl and O2 is thermodynamically controlled.

β-Ga2O3 growth by halide vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) was investigated by thermodynamic analysis. GaCl and O2 were determined to be appropriate precursors for the growth of β-Ga2O3 by HVPE. When H2 is not included in the carrier gas, growth is expected up to 1600 °C. However, with an increase of H2 in the carrier gas, the driving force of Ga2O3 growth decreases. Stable growth at 1000 °C in an inert carrier gas requires an input VI/III ratio above 1. Experimental results for the homoepitaxial growth of β-Ga2O3 using GaCl and O2 as precursors and N2 as a carrier gas show that β-Ga2O3 growth by HVPE can be thermodynamically controlled.