Doping profile effects on modulation-doped single nonabrupt GaAs/AlxGa1 − xAs quantum wells

We study inhomogeneous doping effects on the confinement properties of modulation-doped single nonabrupt GaAs/Al_xGa_1 − xAs quantum wells. We describe the inhomogeneous doping using error function profiles, and we solve self-consistently the coupled Schrödinger (with a position dependent kinetic energy operator) and Poisson equations to obtain the electron energy levels. When the nonabrupt interfaces (spacer layer) are 10Å(100Å) wide and the presence of Si-dopant density in a 100 Å GaAs well region is only 10% of the Si-dopant density in the Al_0.3Ga_0.7As barriers, the lowest intersubband transition energy increases 37 meV in comparison with that calculated within the homogeneous doping-abrupt interface picture.     

Fractional-dimensional approach for biexcitons in GaAs/AlxGa1−xAs quantum wells

The energy of a biexciton in a GaAs/Al_xGa_1?xAs quantum well structure with finite barriers is investigated by using the geometrical model of two-dimensional biexcitons proposed by Singh et al. [J. Singh, D. Birkedal, V.G. Layssenko, J.M. Hvam, Phys. Rev. B 53 (1996) 15909; I.-K. Oh, J. Singh, Phys. Rev. B 60 (1999) 2528]. A fractional-dimensional approach is used to obtain the binding energy of the biexciton in both square quantum wells and parabolic quantum wells. Theoretical results show that the binding energy of a biexciton in a finite quantum well exhibits a maximum with increasing well width. The ratio of the binding energy of a biexciton to that of an exciton in a quantum well structure is found to be sensitive to the electron-to-hole mass ratio and larger than that in the three-dimensional system. The results agree fairly well with previous experimental results. The results of our approach are also compared with those of earlier theories.     

Effect of quantizing magnetic field on the spectrum and damping of polaritons in double two-dimensional electronic systems

Nonradiative (surface and bulk) polaritons in a semiconductor structure composed of two heterojunctions GaAs/Al_xGa_1?x As are investigated under the integer quantum Hall effect (IQHE) conditions. The dispersive, polarization, and energy characteristics of these polaritons are determined including energy dissipation in the two-dimensional electron semiconductor layers. The phase and group velocities of surface and bulk polaritons are shown to be quantized under the IQHE conditions. It is found that resonance coupling of two surface polariton modes may occur in double GaAs/Al_xGa_1?x As heterojunctions. Possible experimental observation of nonradiative polaritons is discussed.     

Energy levels of single nonabrupt GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs quantum wells

Energy levels of electrons in nonabrupt GaAs/Al_xGa_1-xAs single quantum wells are calculated with and beyond the constant interfacial effective mass approximation (CIEMA), and compared with those of abrupt GaAs/Al_xGa_1-xAs quantum wells. For a given interface width, the energy levels calculated with the CIEMA are higher than those calculated beyond it, but both are higher than those of the abrupt semiconductor quantum well. The shifts of the energy levels increase with the interfacial width of the nonabrupt quantum well, as well as with the degree of interfacial asymmetry.     

Modeling of intersubband transitions in quantum well infrared photodetectors with complex potential profiles

The subband energy dispersions and optical intersubband transitions in n-type InGaAs/Al _x Ga_1-x As quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) with linear-graded barriers are calculated using an 8-band k·p model combined with the envelope-function Fourier expansion. The relaxation of quantum confinement in the growth direction has been taken into reasonable consideration. This work is helpful for the analysis and the design of QWIPs with complex well and barrier structures.     

Terahertz acoustic-phonon signal generated by heated electrons in AlGaAs/GaAs-based quantum wires

In this paper, we explore theoretically the possibility of applying AlGaAs/GaAs-based quantum wire systems as a terahertz (THz) ultrasonic generator. For structures such as Al_xGa_1-xAs/GaAs-based low-dimensional semiconductor systems and semiconductor nanostructures, electrons are confined within the nanometer distance scale so that energies (e.g. electronic subband energy, electron kinetic energy, Fermi energy, etc.) are in the meV scale, which consequently results in the acoustic-phonons generated by heated electrons from these novel systems to be around the THz frequency range. Our theoretical results indicate that: (i) Al_xGa_-xAs/GaAs-based quantum wires are suitable for generating THz acoustic-phonon signals; (ii) both longitudinal and transverse acoustic-phonon modes contribute to the detected phonon signals; (iii) the THz ultrasound wave can be generated through both intra- and inter-subband scattering processes; and (iv) the strong dependence of the acoustic-phonon emission from a quantum wire on phonon frequency and phonon emission angle can be observed.     

Shallow impurity binding energy in lateral parabolic confinement under an external magnetic field

We have described the calculation of hydrogenic impurity binding energies in cylindrical GaAs–Ga_1−xAl_xAs quantum well wires (QWWs) with lateral parabolic confinement in the presence of an axial magnetic field. The numerical calculations of this system have been performed with the use of a variational procedure in the effective mass approximation. We observed sharp changes in binding energy for critical spatial confinement radius and B$B$ magnetic field values.     

Magnetoexcitonic states in a quantum ring with the Winternitz-Smorodinsky confinement potential

We investigate magnetoexcitonic states in the Ga_{1−x 1}Al_{x 1}As/GaAs/Ga_{1−x 2}Al_{x 2} As quantum ring with the Winternitz-Smorodinsky confinement potential. A homogeneous magnetic field is directed perpendicularly to the ring plane. The Coulomb interaction between the electron and hole is assumed as weak and is considered in the framework of perturbation theory. Obtained results show that the more realistic Winternitz-Smorodinsky confinement potential, which takes into account a peculiar smoothing of the confinement potential profile, leads to raising of the electron energy levels as compared to the case of a finite-height rectangular confinement potential.     

Photoluminescence of AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs quantum well heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Low-temperature photoluminescence measurements on nominally undoped Al_xGa_1–xAs/GaAs quantum well heterostructures (QWHs) grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) exemplified the exclusivelyintrinsic free-exciton nature of the luminescence under moderate excitation conditions. Neither any spectroscopic evidence for alloy clustering in the Al_xGa_1–xAs barriers nor any extrinsic luminescence due to recombination with residual acceptors has been detected in single and double QWHs when grown at 670 °C under optimized MBE growth conditions. Carrier confinement in Al_xGa_1–xAs/GaAs QWHs starts at a well width ofL _z30 nm when x0.25. The minor average well thickness fluctuation ofL _z=4×10^–2nm as determined from the excitonic halfwidth allowed the realization of well widths as low asL _z=1 nm and thus a shift of the free-exciton line as high as 2.01 eV which is close to the conduction band edge of the employed Al_0.43Ga_0.57As confinement layer. The measurements further revealed a strongly enhanced luminescence efficiency of the quantum wells as compared to bulk material which is caused by the modified exciton transition probabilities due to carrier localization.     

Donor impurity states in coupled quantum well wires under hydrostatic pressure and applied electric field

In this work we study the binding energy of the ground state for a hydrogenic donor impurity in laterally coupled GaAs/Ga_1−xAl_xAs quantum well wires, considering the simultaneous effects of hydrostatic pressure and applied electric field. We have used a variational method and the effective mass and parabolic band approximations. The low dimensional structure consists of two quantum well wires with rectangular transverse section coupled by a central Ga_1−xAl_xAs barrier. Our results are reported for several sizes of the structure and we have taken into account variations of the impurity position along the growth direction of the heterostructure.     

Zeeman splitting of single semiconductor impurities in resonant tunneling heterostructures

Zeeman splitting of the ground state of single impurities in the quantum wells of resonant tunneling heterostructures is reported. We determine the absolute magnitude of the effective magnetic spin splitting factorg* for a single impurity in a 44 Å Al_0.27Ga_0.73As/GaAs/Al_0.27Ga_0.73As quantum well to be 0.28±0.02. This system also allows for independent measurement of the electron tunneling rates through the two potential barriers and estimation of the occupation probability of the impurity state in the quantum well.     

Effect of electric field and central-cell corrections on the spectrum of shallow donors in parabolic quantum wells

The effects of the electric field and of the central-corrections on the binding energies of shallow donors in a Ga As/Ga_1−x Al _x As parabolic quantum well are studied. The effectivemass approximation within a variational scheme is adopted, and central-cell corrections are calculated by using a model potential with an adjustable parameter. For great values of the parabolic parameter, relatively large corrections are obtained for the shallow donors studied.     

Optical gain spectra of unstrained graded GaAs/AlxGa1 − xAs quantum well laser

We have calculated the optical gain spectra in unstrained graded GaAs/Al_xGa_1 − xAs single quantum well lasers as a function of the energy of the radiation, the quantum well width and the interface thickness. The optical gain spectra were calculated using the density matrix approach (Luttinger–Kohn method), considering the parabolic band model (conduction band), all subband mixing between the heavy and light holes (valence band), and the transversal electrical light polarization. Our results show that the optical peak gain is sensitive to the width and the graded profile of the interfaces, and is blue-shifted as a function of the interface width.     

Electron–hole superlattices in GaAs/Al x Ga1− x As multiple quantum wells

A GaAs/Al _x Ga_{1? x} As semiconductor structure is proposed, which is predicted to superconduct at T _c?≈?2?K. Formation of an alternating sequence of electron- and hole-populated quantum wells (an electron–hole superlattice) in a modulation-doped GaAs/Al _x Ga_{1? x} As superlattice is considered. This superlattice may be analogous to the layered electronic structure of high-T _c superconductors. In the structures of interest, the mean spacing between nearest electron (or hole) wells is the same as the mean distance between the electrons (or holes) in any given well. This geometrical relationship mimics a prominent property of optimally doped high-T _c superconductors. Band bending by built-in electric fields from ionized donors and acceptors induces electron and heavy-hole bound states in alternate GaAs quantum wells. A proposed superlattice structure meeting this criterion for superconductivity is studied by self-consistent numerical simulation.     

Interface effects in the high electric field resonances of single AlxGa1-xAs non-abrupt barriers in GaAs

The influence of nonabrupt interfaces in the high electric field resonances of single Al_xGa_1-xAs barriers in GaAs is studied. The resonances are considerably smoothed when interfacial widths are as small as two GaAs lattice parameters. Several resonances in the transmission coefficient of a 0.154 eV electron through a non-abrupt Al_xGa_1-xAs single barrier in GaAs, with height of 240 meV and 200 Å of width, can even disappear if interfacial widths of four GaAs lattice parameters are considered. Interface effects are shown to be more important for heavy holes than for electrons.     

Optical-field profiles in InxGa1−xN -MQW laser structures

In this paper, we calculated the optical fields for In_xGa_1−xN-multiquantum well (MQW) laser structures. Two different optical cavities are compared, the conventional step separate confinement heterostructure (Step) and a graded-index (GRIN) structure with a parabolic variation of the Al content in the Al_xGa_1−xN guide layers. A comparison is made regarding the confinement factor, near- and far-field patterns. An anomalous behavior for the confinement factor is observed in the structure, and it can be eliminated by choosing an appropriated combination of the layer’s thicknesses forming the waveguide. For Al_xGa_1−xN, an improved expression for the refractive index is presented, which shows better agreement with experimental data than previously reported expressions.     

Effects of electric field and hydrostatic pressure on donor binding energies in a spherical quantum dot

The binding energies of a hydrogenic donor in a GaAs spherical quantum dot in the Ga_1−xAl_xAs matrix are presented assuming parabolic confinement. Effects of hydrostatic pressure and electric field are discussed on the results obtained using a variational method. Effects of the spatial variation of the dielectric screening and the effective mass mismatch are also investigated. Our results show that (i) the ionization energy decreases with dot size, with the screening function giving uniformly larger values for dots which are less than about 25 nm, (ii) the hydrostatic pressure increases the donor ionization energy such that the variation is larger for a smaller dot, and (iii) the ionization energy decreases in an electric field. All the calculations have been carried out with finite barriers and good agreement is obtained with the results available in the literature in limiting cases.     

Optical properties of narrow high quality GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells grown by MOVPE

We report optical characterization of high quality quantum well (QW) structures grown by metal-organic vapour-phase epitaxy (MOVPE). Thin QW layers of GaAs of thicknesses between 20 Å and 80 Å inserted between Al_0.36Ga_0.64 As confining layers as well as nominally 20 Å QW's in Al_xGa_1−xAs with varying x have been studied. Exciton confinement energies exceeding 250 meV and a FWHM of 6 meV for the thinnest QW have been observed. The photoluminescence (PL) data allows the observation of monolayer fluctuations in the QW widths and indicates an interface abruptness of about one atomic layer. Photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy allows electronic excited states to be seen.     

Binding energies of excitons in symmetric and asymmetric quantum wells in a magnetic field

The binding energy of the exciton in the symmetric and asymmetric GaAs/Ga_1 − xAl_xAs quantum wells is calculated with the use of a variational approach. Results have been obtained as a function of the potential symmetry, and the size of the quantum well in the presence of an arbitrary magnetic field. The applied magnetic field is taken to be parallel to the axis of growth of the quantum well structure. The role of the asymmetric barriers, magnetic field, and well width in the excitonic binding is discussed as the tunability parameters of the GaAs/Ga_1 − xAl_xAs system.     

Exciton quantization in parabolic quantum wells

The exciton wavefunction in parabolic quantum wells is calculated using variational techniques and effective mass theory. The influences of the potential shape and of confinement on the exciton binding energies are studied. The results are in good agreement with previous calculations. The oscillator-strength of excitons in GaAs/Ga_1-xAl_xAS quantum wells has a maximum value very close to the cross-over from three to two dimensions.