A study of GaInP/GaAs interfaces: metallurgical coupling of successive quantum wells

We present a study of GaInP/GaAs interfaces by means of photoluminescence (PL) of multi quantum wells (MQW), embedded in GaInP, or asymmetric structures having an AlGaAs barrier GaInP/GaAs/AlGaAs. The PL energies of quantum wells were compared with calculations based on the transfer matrix envelope function approximation, well suited for asymmetric structures. GaInP/GaAs/AlGaAs MQW structures (GaInP grown first) are in reasonably good agreement with calculations. Reverse ones, AlGaAs/GaAs/GaInP, present a lower PL energy than calculated. But the agreement with theory is recovered on single quantum well samples, or in MQW when the GaInP thickness is increased up to 100 nm. We interpret this phenomenon as a diffusion of arsenic atoms from the next GaAs well through the GaInP barrier. Arsenic atoms exchange with phosphorus atoms at the GaInP-on-GaAs interface of the former well, leading to a small gap strained InGaAs region responsible for the lowering of PL energies.     

Influence of the cap layer thickness on photoluminescence properties in strained InGaAs/GaAs single quantum wells

The influence of the GaAs cap layer thickness on the luminescence properties in strained In_0.20Ga_0.80As/GaAs single quantum well (SQW) structures has been investigated using temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The luminescence peak is shifted to lower energy as the GaAs cap layer thickness decreases, which demonstrates the effect of the GaAs cap layer thickness on the strain of InGaAs/GaAs single quantum wells (SQW). We find the PL quenching mechanism is the thermal activation of electron hole pairs from the wells into the GaAs cap layer for the samples with thicker GaAs cap layer, while in sample with thinner GaAs cap layer exciton trapping on misfit dislocations is dominated.     

Analysis of coupling effect on valence band structures of strained multiple quantum wells

The multi-well energy representation technique is presented for the analysis of the valence band structures of multiple quantum well (MQW) lasers. In terms of this technique and its relative formulae, calculations are performed for InGaAs/InGaAsP strained MQW structures. It is found that the coupling exists between the wells, and causes the energy split. So, on the basis of the computed results, the coupling between the wells is analysed, and the split of both the quantized energy levels at the Γ point and the quantized energy bands at the non-Γ points is described. It is also found that the structural parameters of the MQW system strongly influence the coupling property and the energy split, and hence these effects are also discussed in relation to the periodic length, the well width, the distance between the wells, and the ratio of the well width to the periodic length. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Feasibility study of low-power multiquantum-well vertical transmission optical amplifiers for optical interconnection

Performance of 0.98-μm InGaAs strained multiquantum-well Fabry-Perot vertical transmission optical amplifiers (MQW FP VTOAs) for optical inter-board connection is analyzed theoretically, and compared with those of GaAs MQW, GaAs bulk, and InGaAsP bulk VTOAs. A low-power operation of about 2 mA and a cascadability of several hundred boards are predicted for an InGaAs strained MQW FP VTOA.     

Characterization of (In,Ga)As/GaAs strained-layer multiple quantum wells with high-resolution X-ray diffraction and computer simulations

Pseudomorphic, highly strained (In,Ga)As/GaAs multiple quantum well structures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and characterized by high-resolution X-ray diffraction. Thickness, lattice mismatch and chemical composition of the quantum wells were determined from measurements of satellite Bragg reflections and comparison with calculated rocking curves. In periodic structures, quantum wells with a width of less than 10 nm can be characterized by this technique. The results are compared with transmission electron microscopy, optical absorption and optical emission spectroscopy.     

Absorption and photoluminescence studies of the temperature dependence of exciton life time in lattice-matched and strained quantum well systems

We present systematic studies of the temperature dependence of linewidths and lifetimes of excitonic transitions in quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy using both photoluminescence(PL) and optical absorption. The temperature ranged from 6K to room temperature. Samples under investigation were lattice-matched GaAs/AlGaAs and InGaAs/InAlAs, and strained InGaAs/GaAs and InGaAs/AlGaAs quantum wellssystems. In addition, the effects of well-size variations in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells were measured and analyzed. In all cases we were able to observe the excitonic transitions up to room temperature. By a careful fitting of the experimental data we separated the exciton transitions from band-to-band transitions. By deconvoluting the excitonic transitions we obtained the homogeneous and inhomogeneous linewidths. The homogeneous linewidths were used to calculate the exciton lifetimes as a function of temperature using the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. We found the lifetime decreases significantly with temperature and increases with increasing well size. These results are interpreted in terms of the exciton-phonon interaction and are expected to be very useful for the design of semiconductor optical devices operating at different temperatures.     

InGaAs/GaAs应变脊形量子线分子束外延非平面生长研究

提出了新型InGaAs/GaAs应变脊形量子线结构．这种应变脊形量子线结合了非平面应变外延层中沿不同晶向能带带隙的变化、非平面生长应变层In组分的变化，以及非平面外延层厚度的变化等三方面共同形成的横向量子限制效应的综合作用．在非平面GaAs衬底上用分子束外延生长了侧面取向为（113）的脊形AlAs/In GaAs/AlAs应变量子线．用10K光致荧光谱测试了其发光性质．用Kronig-Penney模型近似计算了这种应变脊形结构所具有的横向量子限制效应，发现其光致荧光谱峰位的测试结果，与计算结果相比，有10meV的“蓝移”．认为这一跃迁能量的“蓝移”是上述三方面横向量子限制效应综合作用的结果 关键词：     

Exciton line broadening in strained InGaAs/GaAs single quantum wells

We report the first observation of well-resolved exciton peaks in the room-temperature absorption spectrum of the strained In_0.20Ga_0.80As/GaAs Single Quantum-Well (SQW) structure. The best fit of the exciton resonances gives the conduction-band offset ratioQ _c=0.70±0.05. The strength of the exciton-phonon coupling is determined from linewidth analysis and is found to be much larger than that of strained InGaAs/GaAs MQW structures.     

InxGa1-xAs/GaAs量子阱应变量对变温光致发光谱的影响

利用变温光致发光(PL)研究了In0.182Ga0.818As/GaAs应变及应变补偿量子阱在77～300 K温度范围内的发光特性.随着温度T的升高,PL峰位向低能方向移动.在应力作用下In0.182Ga0.818As/GaAs量子阱的价带顶轻空穴带和重空穴带发生了劈裂.通过理论计算推导应变随温度变化对InxGa1-x...     

Lateral and vertical ordered one-dimensional InGaAs/GaAs quantum structures

Lateral and vertical ordered one-dimensional quantum structures, i.e. InGaAs/GaAs(001) quantum dot chains and quantum wires, have been obtained using molecular beam epitaxy. It was found that the InGaAs wires or dot chains sit on two-dimensional wetting layers and run along the [-110] direction, as the result of anisotropic strain and in-plane adatom diffusion. This anisotropic nature produces a model system for studying the electronic properties of one-, two-, and three-dimensional quantum confinements and related optical responses. The strain anisotropy is of importance in determining the electronic states of the quantum structures and the surrounding strained barrier. The strain-induced effects, such as change of band-gap and splitting of heavy–light hole states, were studied experimentally and theoretically. Optical anisotropy of these quantum structures is also discussed.     

Comparative study of the band-offset ratio of conventionally strained and strain-compensated InGaAs/GaAs QW lasers

In order to achieve good high temperature laser performance, it is essential to have very deep electron wells. InGaAs system on GaAs substrate suffers from poor temperature characteristics due to the electron overflow over the rather small conduction band offset. By means of the Harrison's model, we investigate the effect of the strain compensation on band alignments of InGaAs/GaAs laser system and show that strain compensation improves the band alignments of this laser system. The use of GaAsP or InGaP barrier instead of GaAs barrier results the strain-compensated laser system having better band alignment than that of the conventionally strained InGaAs. Therefore, high temperature operation has been anticipated in these laser systems with strain compensated barriers due to better electron and hole confinement as a result of the increased band offset and a more favorable band offset ratio.     

低压-MOCVD方法制备CdS-ZnS应变多量子阱

本文报道了用低压(LP)-MOCVD方法制备CdS-ZnS应变多量子阱结构.通过X-射线衍射谱证实了所制备的样品具有比较好的多层结构,并通过77K下的光致发光(PL)光谱,观测到了大的垒层对电子的限制效应及由大的应变引起的阱层带边变化所导致的发光峰蓝移.     

Accurate validation of experimental results of interdiffused InGaAs/GaAs strained quantum wells by suitable numerical methods

In this paper, we make use of the Galerkin method along with the Green function method to analyse structures of InGaAs/GaAs strained quantum wells. The optical absorption coefficient is calculated and the achieved agreement with published experimental data is significantly better than previously reported predictions, thus providing a stronger confirmation of the validity and accuracy of the theoretical model. In addition, the computational efficiency is remarkably improved with the developed procedure.     

Optical properties of GaN/AlN multiple quantum wells

Optical properties of GaN/AlN multiple quantum wells (MQW) have been investigated by Raman scattering, photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation measurements. A careful examination of the Raman spectrum reveals the fact that the constituent layers of GaN/AlN MQWs are well strained. The experimental results of emission and absorption in MQWs were compared with the calculated solutions of the finite quantum well and the bound states involved in the optical transitions were identified. It is found that the interband transitions up to n=3 bound state can be observed in the strained GaN/AlN MQWs sample. The temperature dependence of the heavy-hole transitions shows an interesting phenomenon, in which the peak energy first increases with increasing temperature and then decreases with the temperature rapidly. The observation can be explained in a consistent way by the strain effects of lattice mismatch due to the interplay between the thermal expansion of GaN and AlN layers. Our results indicate that pseudomorphic GaN/AlN MQWs with good quality can be readily grown, and their applications in optoelectronics can be expected in the near future.     

Design and Fabrication of 1.06 μm Resonant-Cavity Enhanced Reflective Modulator with GaInAs/GaAs Quantum Wells

A resonant-cavity enhanced reflective optical modulator is designed and fabricated, with three groups of three highly strained InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells in the cavity, for low voltage and high contrast ratio operation. The quantum wells are positioned in antinodes of the optical standing wave. The modulator is grown in a single growth step in an molecular beam epitaxy system, using GaAs/AlAs distributed Bragg reflectors as both the top and bottom mirrors. Results show that the reflection device has a modulation extinction of 3 dB at -4.5 V bias.     

Numerical simulation of a coupling effect on electronic states in quantum dots

Lasers operating at 1.3 μm have attracted considerable attention owing to their potential to provide efficient light sources for next-generation high-speed communication systems. InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) were pointed out as a reliable low-cost way to attain this goal. However, due to the lattice mismatch, the accumulation of strain by stacking the QDs can cause dislocations that significantly degrade the performance of the lasers. In order to reduce this strain, a promising method is the use of InAs QDs embedded in InGaAs layers. The capping of the QD layer with InGaAs is able to tune the emission toward longer and controllable wave-lengths between 1.1 and 1.5 μm. In this work, using the effective-mass envelope-function theory, we investigated theoretically the optical properties of coupled InAs/GaAs strained QDs based structures emitting around 1.33 μm. The calculation was performed by the resolution of the 3D Schrödinger equation. The energy levels of confined carriers and the optical transition energy have been investigated. The oscillator strengths of this transition have been studied with and without taking into account the strain effect in the calculations. The information derived from the present study shows that the InGaAs capping layer may have profound consequences as regards the performance of an InAs/GaAs QD based laser. Based on the present results, we hope that the present work make a contribution to experimental studies of InAs/GaAs QD based structures, namely the optoelectronic applications concerning infrared and mid-infrared spectral regions as well as the solar cells.     

Fabrication and characterization of strained InGaAs quantum wires grown on high index V-grooved GaAs substrates by LP-MOVPE

Self-ordered InGaAs/GaAs quantum wires (QWRs) were obtained on (100) GaAs V-grooved substrates by low-pressure metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. Different structural and optical properties of compressively strained InGaAs wires grown on grooves exhibiting (111)A-like and (311)-like oriented facets were investigated.     

基于p-n结中反常光电转换现象的新型带间跃迁量子阱红外探测器

实验发现p-n结中局域载流子具有极高抽取效率,同时伴随着吸收系数的大幅度增加.本文报道上述现象的发现和验证过程,以及基于此现象的新型带间跃迁量子阱红外探测器(interband transition quantum well infrared detector,IQWIP)原型器件的性能.采用共振激发光致发光光谱技术,在InGaN量子阱、InGaAs量子阱、InAs量子点等多个材料体系中均观察到了在p-n结电场作用下的载流子高效逃逸现象,抽取效率分别为95%,87.5%,88%.利用含有InGaAs/GaAs多量子阱的PIN二极管,实验尝试了制备新型的IQWIP原型器件.在无表面减反射膜的实验条件下,利用仅100 nm的有效吸收厚度,实现了31%的外量子效率.基于这个数值推算得到量子阱的光吸收系数达到3.7×10~4cm~(-1),该数值高于传统透射实验测量体材料和量子阱结果.此外,还利用InAsSb/GaSb量子阱材料体系进行了2μm以上波长红外探测的探索.利用上述现象,有望在提高现有器件性能的同时开发出新颖的光-电转换器件.     

MOCVD的InGaAs/GaAs应变层量子阱的低温光致发光研究

本文中利用MOCVD方法得到了高质量的InGaAs/GaAs应变层量子阱材料,4.3nm量子阱10KPLFWHM仅为3.49meV.通过对样品荧光谱在变激发强度,变温时的峰位、峰形研究,我们发现,合金组分起伏散射是样品低温荧光谱展宽的主要原因,因而是MOCVD生长中应该首先解决的问题,实验结果还表明,在讨论低温PL谱形时,必需考虑光生载流子由随机起伏势中高能位置向低能位置的迁移过程。     

Efficiency droop suppression in GaN-based light-emitting diodes by chirped multiple quantum well structure at high current injection

Gallium nitride(Ga N) based light-emitting diodes(LEDs) with chirped multiple quantum well(MQW) structures have been investigated experimentally and numerically in this paper. Compared to conventional LEDs with uniform quantum wells(QWs), LEDs with chirped MQW structures have better internal quantum efficiency(IQE) and carrier injection efficiency. The droop ratios of LEDs with chirped MQW structures show a remarkable improvement at 600 m A/mm2,reduced down from 28.6%(conventional uniform LEDs) to 23.7%(chirped MQWs-a) and 18.6%(chirped MQWs-b),respectively. Meanwhile, the peak IQE increases from 76.9%(uniform LEDs) to 83.7%(chirped MQWs-a) and 88.6%(chirped MQWs-b). The reservoir effect of chirped MQW structures is the significant reason as it could increase hole injection efficiency and radiative recombination. The leakage current and Auger recombination of chirped MQW structures can also be suppressed. Furthermore, the chirped MQWs-b structure with lower potential barriers can enhance the reservoir effect and obtain further improvement of the carrier injection efficiency and radiative recombination, as well as further suppressing efficiency droop.