skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Theoretical study of auger recombination processes in deep quantum wells

Journal Article · · Semiconductors
;  [1]
  1. Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physicotechnical Institute (Russian Federation), E-mail: zegrya@theory.ioffe.ru

The basic processes and mechanisms of Auger recombination of nonequilibrium carriers in a semiconductor heterostructure with deep InAs{sub 0.84}Sb{sub 0.16}/AlSb quantum wells (QWs) are analyzed. It is shown that a zero-threshold Auger recombination process involving two heavy holes predominates in sufficiently narrow QWs, and a resonant process involving two electrons is dominant in wide QWs. The range of QW widths at which the Auger recombination is suppressed in a given structure to the greatest extent (suppression region) is determined. In this case, the threshold process involving two electrons remains the basic nonradiative recombination process, with its probability being several orders of magnitude lower than those for the zero-threshold and resonant mechanisms. In turn, the zero-threshold mechanism involving two electrons is totally impossible in the heterostructure under study because of the large conduction-band offset (which markedly exceeds the energy gap). Also, the range of emission wavelengths that corresponds to the suppression region is estimated. It is shown that the interval calculated belongs to the mid-IR range.

OSTI ID:
21087875
Journal Information:
Semiconductors, Vol. 42, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1134/S1063782608050114; Copyright (c) 2008 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-7826
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English