Theoretically　and　experimentally　evaluated　optoelectronic　properties　of　GZO　(Ga-doped　zinc　oxide)　were　correlated　in　the　present　article.　Density　functional　theory　and　Hubbard　U　(DFT　+　U-d　+　U-p)　first-principle　calculations　were　used　for　the　theoretical　study.　The　pulsed　laser　deposition　technique　was　used　to　fabricate　GZO　thin　films　on　p-GaN,　Al2O3,　and　p-Si　substrates.　X-ray　diffraction　graphs　show　single　crystal　growth　of　GZO　thin　films　with　(002)　preferred　crystallographic　orientation.　The　chemical　composition　was　studied　via　energy　dispersive　X-ray　spectroscopy,　and　no　other　unwanted　impurity-related　peaks　were　found,　which　indicated　the　impurity-free　thin　film　growth　of　GZO.　Field　emission　scanning　electron　microscopic　micrographs　revealed　noodle-,　seed-,　and　granular-like　structures　of　GZO/GaN,　GZO/Al2O3,　and　GZO/Si,　respectively.　Uniform　growth　of　GZO/GaN　was　found　due　to　fewer　mismatches　between　ZnO　and　GaN　(0.09%).　Hall　effect　measurements　in　the　van　der　Pauw　configuration　were　used　to　check　electrical　properties.　The　highest　mobility　(53　cm(2)/Vs)　with　a　high　carrier　concentration　was　found　with　low　laser　shots　(1800).　A　5-fold　photoluminescence　enhancement　in　the　noodle-　like　structure　of　GZO/GaN　compared　with　GZO/Al2O3　and　GZO/Si　was　detected.　This　points　toward　shape-driven　optical　properties　because　the　noodle-like　structure　is　more　favorable　for　optical　enhancements　in　GZO　thin　films.　Theoretical　(3.539　eV)　and　experimental　(3.54　eV)　values　of　the　band-gap　were　also　found　to　be　comparable.　Moreover,　the　lowest　resistivity　(3.5　x　10(-4)　Xcm)　with　80%　transmittance　is　evidence　that　GZO　is　a　successful　alternate　of　ITO.　Published　by　AIP　Publishing.