Surface Adsorption and Air Damping Behavior of -Ga₂O₃ Nanomechanical Resonators

Beta gallium oxide ( beta-Ga2O3) has emerged as a highly promising semiconductor material with an ultrawide bandgap ranging from 4.5 to 4.9 eV for future applications in power electronics, optoelectronics, as well as gas and ultraviolet (UV) radiation sensors. Here, surface adsorption and air damping behavior of doubly clamped beta-Ga2O3 nanomechanical resonators are probed and systemically studied by measuring the resonance characteristics under different gas and pressure conditions. High responsivities of resonance to pressure are obtained by heating the devices up to 300(degrees)C to induce an accelerated adsorption-desorption process. The initial surface conditions of the beta-Ga2O3 thin film play important roles in affecting the resonant behavior. UV ozone treatment proves effective in altering the initial surface conditions of beta-Ga2O3 nanosheets by eliminating physisorbed contaminants and filling oxygen vacancy defects residing on the surface, resulting in a consequential and discernible modification of the resonance behavior of beta-Ga2O3 nanomechanical resonators. The surface adsorption and desorption processes in beta-Ga2O3 demonstrate clear reversibility by exposing the UV treated beta-Ga2O3 to air. This study attains first-hand information on how the surface conditions of beta-Ga2O3 affect its mechanical properties, and helps guide future development of transducers via beta-Ga2O3 nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) for pressure sensing applications, especially in harsh environments.