• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.449-455
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• 2011

The luminescence properties of $In_{0.5}Ga_{0.5}As/In_{0.5}Al_{0.5}As$ multiple quantum wells (MQWs) grown on $In_{0.4}Al_{0.6}As$ buffer layer have been investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements. A 1-${\mu}m$-thick $In_{0.4}Al_{0.6}As$ buffer layers were deposited at various temperatures from $320^{\circ}C$ to $580^{\circ}C$ on a 500-nm-thick GaAs layer, and then 1-${\mu}m$-thick $In_{0.5}Al_{0.5}As$ layers were deposited at $480^{\circ}C$, followed by the deposition of the InGaAs/InAlAs MQWs. In order to study the effects of $In_{0.4}Al_{0.6}As$ layer on the optical properties of the MQWs, four different temperature sequences are used for the growth of $In_{0.4}Al_{0.6}As$ buffer layer. The MQWs consist of three $In_{0.5}Al_{0.5}As$ wells with different well thicknesses (2.5-nm, 4.0-nm, and 6.0-nm-thick) and 10-nm-thick $In_{0.5}Al_{0.5}As$ barriers. The PL peaks from 4-nm QW and 6-nm QW were observed. However, for the MQWs on the $In_{0.4}Al_{0.6}As$ layer grown by using the largest growth temperature variation (320-$580^{\circ}C$), the PL spectrum only showed a PL peak from 6-nm QW. The carrier decay times in the 4-nm QW and 6-nm QW were measured from the emission wavelength dependence of PL decay. These results indicated that the growth temperatures of $In_{0.4}Al_{0.6}As$ layer affect the optical properties of the MQWs.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.321-326
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• 2013

The effect of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on the optical properties of digital-alloy InGaAlAs multiple quantum well (MQW) structures have been investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements as a function of RTA temperature. The MQW samples were annealed from $700^{\circ}C$ to $850^{\circ}C$ for 30 s in a nitrogen atmosphere. The MQW sample annealed at $750^{\circ}C$ exhibited the strongest PL intensity and the narrowest FWHM (Full width at half maximum), indicating the reduced nonradiative recombination centers and the improved interfaces between the wells and barriers. The MQW samples annealed at $800^{\circ}C$ and $850^{\circ}C$ showed the decreased PL intensities and blueshifted PL peaks compared to $750^{\circ}C$-annealed sample. The blueshift of PL peak with increasing RTA temperatures are ascribed to the increase of aluminum due to intermixing of gallium (Ga) and aluminum (Al) in the interfaces of InGaAs/InAlAs short-period superlattices. The decrease of PL intensity after annealing at $800^{\circ}C$ and $850^{\circ}C$ are attributed to the interface roughening and lateral composition modulation caused by the interdiffusion of Ga and Al and indium segregation, respectively. With increasing RTA temperature the PL decay becomes slower, indicating the decrease of nonradiative defect centers. The optical properties of digital-alloy InGaAlAs MQW structures can be improved significantly with optimum RTA conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.342-347
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• 2012

The optical properties of InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on a GaAs substrates by migration enhanced molecular beam epitaxy method have been investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements. The luminescence properties of InAs/GaAs QDs have been studied as functions of temperature, excitation laser power, and emission wavelength. The PL peak of InAs QDs capped with $In_{0.15}Ga_{0.85}As$ layer (QD2) measured at 10 K is redshifted about 80 nm compared with that of InAs QDs with no InGaAs layer (QD1). This redshift of QD2 is attributed to the increase in dot size due to the diffusion of In from the InGaAs capping layer. The PL decay times of QD1 and QD2 at 10 K are 1.12 and 1.00 ns taken at the PL peak of 1,117 and 1,197 nm, respectively. The reduced decay time of QD2 can be explained by the improved carrier confinement and enhanced wave function overlap due to increased QD size. The PL decay times for both QD1 and QD2 are independent on the emission wavelength, indicating the uniformity of dot size.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.92-97
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• 2013

The luminescence properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) grown by a migration enhanced epitaxy method have been investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements. The MEE method supplies materials in a series of alternate depositions with migration enhancing time between each deposition. After In source was supplied for 9.3 s, the growth was interrupted for 5 s. Subsequently, As source was open for 3 (AT3), 4(AT4), 6 (AT6), or 9 s (AT9), and the growth was interrupted for 5 s again. This growth sequence was repeated 3 times for the growth of InAs QDs. The PL peak of the AT3 was 1,140 nm and the PL intensity was very weak compared with that of the other three samples. The PL peak of all samples except the AT3 sample was 1,118 nm, which is blueshifted from 1,140 nm, and the PL intensity was increased compared to that of the AT3. These results can be explained by the increased QD density and the improved QD uniformity. The AT6 sample showed the strongest PL intensity and the narrowest full width at half maximum. The PL decay time of AT6 increased with increasing emission wavelength from 940 to 1,126 nm, reaching a maximum decay time of 1.09 ns at 1,126 nm, and then decreased as the emission wavelength was increased further.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.442-448
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• 2011

Self-assembled InAs/InAlGaAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on an InP (001) substrate have been investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements. The single layer (QD1) and seven stacks (QD2) of InAs/InAlGaAs QDs grown by the conventional S-K growth mode were used. The PL peak at 10 K was 1,320 nm for both QD1 and QD2. As the temperature increases from 10 to 300 K, the PL peaks for QD1 and QD2 were red-shifted in the amount of 178 and 264 nm, respectively. For QD1, the PL decay increased with increasing emission wavelength from 1,216 to 1,320 nm, reaching a maximum decay time of 1.49 ns at 1,320 nm, and then decreased as the emission wavelength was increased further. However, the PL decay time for QD2 decreased continuously from 1.83 to 1.22 ns as the emission wavelength was increased from 1,130 to 1,600 nm, respectively. These PL and TRPL results for QD2 can be explained by the large variation in the QD size with stacking number caused by the phase separation of InAlGaAs.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.86-91
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• 2013

The optical properties of InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on GaAs substrates grown by molecular beam epitaxy have been studied using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements. InAs QDs were grown using an arsenic interruption growth (AIG) technique, in which the As flux was periodically interrupted by a closed As shutter during InAs QDs growth. In this study, the shutter of As source was periodically opened and closed for 1 (S1), 2 (S2), or 3 s (S3). For comparison, an InAs QD sample (S0) without As interruption was grown in a pure GaAs matrix for 20 s. The PL intensity of InAs QD samples grown by AIG technique is stronger than that of the reference sample (S0). While the PL peaks of S1 and S2 are redshifted compared to that of S0, the PL peak of S3 is blueshifted from that of S0. The increase of the PL intensity for the InAs QDs grown by AIG technique can be explained by the reduced InAs clusters, the increased QD density, the improved QD uniformity, and the improved aspect ratio (height/length). The redshift (blueshift) of the PL peak for S1 (S3) compared with that for S0 is attributed to the increase (decrease) in the QD average length compared to the average length of S0. The PL intensity, PL peak position, and PL decay time have been investigated as functions of temperature and emission wavelength. S2 shows no InAs clusters, the increased InAs QD density, the improved QD uniformity, and the improved QD aspect ratio. S2 also shows the strongest PL intensity and the longest PL decay time. These results indicate that the size (shape), density, and uniformity of InAs QDs can be controlled by using AIG technique. Therefore the emission wavelength and luminescence properties of InAs/GaAs QDs can also be controlled.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.211-216
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• 2010

The luminescence properties of $In_{0.5}Ga_{0.5}As/In_{0.5}Al_{0.5}As$ multiple quantum wells (MQWs) grown on $In_{0.5}Al_{0.5}As$ buffer layers have been studied by using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements. A$1-{\mu}m$ thick $In_{0.5}Al_{0.5}As$ buffer layers were deposited on a 500 nm thick GaAs layer, followed by the deposition of the InGaAs/InAlAs MQWs. In order to investigate the effects of InAlAs buffer layer on the optical properties of the MQWs, four different temperature sequences are used for the growth of InAlAs buffer layer. The growth temperature for InAlAs buffer layer was varied from 320^{\circ}C to $580^{\circ}C$. The MQWs consist of three $In_{0.5}Ga_{0.5}$As wells with different well thicknesses (2.5 nm, 4.0 nm, and 6.0 nm thick) and 10 nm thick $In_{0.5}Al_{0.5}$As barriers. The PL spectra from the MQWs with InAlAs layer grown at lower temperature range ($320-580^{\circ}C$) showed strong peaks from 4 nm QW and 6 nm QW. However, for the MQWs with InAlAs buffer grown at higher temperature range ($320-480^{\circ}C$), the PL spectra only showed a strong peak from 6 nm QW. The strongest PL intensity was obtained from the MQWs with InAlAs layer grown at the fixed temperature of $480^{\circ}C$, while the MQWs with buffer layer grown at higher temperature from $530^{\circ}C$ to $580^{\circ}C$ showed the weakest PL intensity. From the emission wavelength dependence of PL decay times, the fast and slow decay times may be related to the recombination of carriers in the 4 nm QW and 6 nm QW, respectively. These results indicated that the growth temperatures of InAlAs layer affect the structural and optical properties of the MQWs.