Speaker
Description
The recent discovery of irradiation-induced self-organized formation of the β/γ-Ga₂O₃ double-polymorph structure has revealed new opportunities to study ion-beam-driven phase transformations in radiation-tolerant semiconductors. While most previous studies considered nuclear (Sₙ) and electronic (Sₑ) energy deposition as largely independent, their coupled effects and the resulting nonequilibrium structural evolution remain poorly understood.
To address these questions, IFIN-HH and the GSI MAT Group have initiated the FAIR-RO ATOM collaboration, combining intermediate-energy ion irradiations and ex situ ion-channeling measurements at IFIN-HH with swift heavy ion irradiations and in situ structural characterization at GSI. This complementary approach aims to clarify the role of coupled energy deposition in the evolution of the β/γ-Ga₂O₃ polymorph structure.
This contribution introduces the collaboration, outlines the experimental strategy, and presents the first irradiation campaigns designed to investigate phase transformations in Ga₂O₃ under extreme electronic excitation. These first steps lay the foundation for a broader research program aimed at understanding nonequilibrium processes in ion-irradiated materials and advancing the development of radiation-tolerant oxide semiconductors for operation in extreme environments.