Band gap of corundumlike α−Ga2O3 determined by absorption and ellipsometry

The electronic structure near the band gap of the corundumlike $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ phase of ${\mathrm{Ga}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ has been investigated by means of optical absorption and spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements in the ultraviolet (UV) range (400--190 nm). The absorption coefficient in the UV region and the imaginary part of the dielectric function exhibit two prominent absorption thresholds with wide but well-defined structures at 5.6 and 6.3 eV which have been ascribed to allowed direct transitions from crystal-field split valence bands to the conduction band. Excitonic effects with large Gaussian broadening are taken into account through the Elliott-Toyozawa model, which y…