Epitaxial stabilization of pseudomorphic α-Ga2O3on sapphire (0001)

Heteroepitaxial Ga2O3 was grown on c-plane sapphire by molecular beam epitaxy, pulsed-laser deposition, and metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Investigation by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) revealed the presence of a three-monolayer-thick pseudomorphically grown layer of trigonal α-Ga2O3 at the interface between the c-plane sapphire substrate and the β-Ga2O3 independent of the growth method. On top of this pseudomorphically grown layer, plastically relaxed monoclinic β-Ga2O3 grew in the form of rotational domains. We rationalize the stable growth of the high-pressure trigonal α-phase of Ga2O3 in terms of the stabilization of the α-Ga2O3 phase by the lattice-mismatch-induced strain.