Optical characterization of digital alloy In{sub 0.49}Ga{sub 0.51}P/In{sub 0.49}(Ga{sub 0.6}Al{sub 0.4}){sub 0.51}P multi-quantum-wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 2006 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2364388· OSTI ID:20884798

Kim, J M; Park, C Y; Lee, Y T; Song, J D ^[1]

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1. Department of Information and Communications, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712 (Korea, Republic of)

An In{sub 0.49}Ga{sub 0.51}P/In{sub 0.49}(Ga{sub 0.6}Al{sub 0.4}){sub 0.51}P multi-quantum-well (MQW) structure grown by molecular beam epitaxy using a digital alloy method was parametrically investigated by photoluminescence (PL) measurement performed in a temperature range of 10-290 K. The PL peak energies did not change with increasing temperature up to 60 K, while the PL peak energy monotonously decreased with increasing temperature beyond 60 K. From the curve fit of the linewidth full width at half maximum of the PL peak, it was observed that the homogeneous broadening of In{sub 0.49}Ga{sub 0.51}P/In{sub 0.49}(Ga{sub 0.6}Al{sub 0.4}){sub 0.51}P MQW with digital alloy barriers due to scattering by longitudinal optical phonons was smaller than that of InGaAs/InGaAlAs MQW with digital alloy barriers. This is in accordance with the existence of a relatively weak phonon-related PL peak in the PL spectrum of InGaAlP digital alloy, as compared with InGaAlAs digital alloy. The fit of the integrated PL intensity shows the occurrence of a nonradiative recombination process with an activation energy E{sub 1}=24.4 meV up to 60 K. On the other hand, the process of nonradiative recombination with an activation energy E{sub 2}=109 meV occurred above 60 K, which is in good agreement with one-half of the calculated total confinement energy {delta}E of the electron-hole pair in the quantum well ({approx}108 meV). The In{sub 0.49}Ga{sub 0.51}P/In{sub 0.49}(Ga{sub 0.6}Al{sub 0.4}){sub 0.51}P MQW structure with digital alloy barriers has larger activation energy (E{sub 2}=109 meV) than In{sub 0.49}Ga{sub 0.51}P/In{sub 0.49}(Ga{sub 0.6}Al{sub 0.4}){sub 0.51}P MQW (E{sub 2}=90 meV) with analog alloy barriers. Therefore, the thermal emission of carriers into the barrier can be reduced at temperatures above 60 K due to the high effective barrier height.

• OSTI ID: 20884798
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 100, Issue 9; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2364388; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ACTIVATION ENERGY
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
GALLIUM ALLOYS
INDIUM ALLOYS
INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
PHONONS
PHOSPHORUS ADDITIONS
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
QUANTUM WELLS
RECOMBINATION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0000-0013 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0013-0065 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K