Wide Bandgap Oxides Materials and Devices for Radiation Sensing

With the evolution of sensing technology, new needs are emerging every day that limits the use of silicon in devices such as deep ultra-violet (DUV) detectors, transistors and transparent/flexible devices. To meet these needs there has been a wide interest in new materials, mostly oxide semiconductors. Oxides usually offer transparency, wide band gap, and higher mobility than amorphous silicon. This dissertation explores p- and n- type oxides developed by physical deposition methods (pulsed laser deposition and magnetron sputtering), focusing on NiO (p- type) and Ga2O3 (n –type) and controlling their electrical, structural and optical properties. It also evaluates different devices such as homo- and hetero- junctions, photoresistors and thin film transistors (TFTs) and shows the application of these devices as radiation detectors, namely as, neutron and DUV detectors. Discussion about promising results as DUV detectors and the challenges to improve the performance of neutron detectors are also covered.