Assessing Carrier Recombination Processes in Type‐II SiGe/Si(001) Quantum Dots

In this work, it is shown how different carrier recombination paths significantly broaden the photoluminescence (PL) emission bandwidth observed in type‐II self‐assembled SiGe/Si(001) quantum dots (QDs). QDs grown by molecular beam epitaxy with very homogeneous size distribution, onion‐shaped composition profile, and Si capping layer thicknesses varying from 0 to 1100 nm are utilized to assess the optical carrier‐recombination paths. By using high‐energy photons for PL excitation, electron‐hole pairs can be selectively generated either above or below the QD layer and, thus, clearly access two radiative carrier recombination channels. Fitting the charge carrier capture‐, loss‐ and recombination‐dynamics to PL time‐decay curves measured for different experimental configurations allows to obtain quantitative information of carrier capture‐, excitonic‐emission‐, and Auger‐recombination rates in this type‐II nano‐system.