A surface photovoltage spectroscopy study of GaAs∕AlAs complicated nanostructures with graded interfaces

Abstract

We present a surface photovoltage (SPV) spectroscopy study of the optical properties and the bound states of graded interface AlAs∕GaAs superlattices (SLs) containing two GaAs embedded quantum wells (EQWs) with different widths. SPV spectra are measured in the metal-insulator-semiconductor operation mode under super-band-gap optical excitation at room temperature. In spite of the relatively large absorption of the GaAs substrate, the SPV spectra exhibit clearly resolved features superimposed on the substrate smooth background. These features have been identified as free exciton transitions in the EQWs and in the SL. This interpretation is based on a detailed comparison of the SPV results with those of electronic structure calculations and photoluminescence spectral measurements. The calculations are performed in frames of the envelope function approximation, employing a model structure very similar to the real one and taking into account the interface grading. The mechanisms of the SPV signal generation have been discussed. An experimental confirmation is given to the theoretical model developed by others, about the SPV behavior in quantum wells. Our study demonstrates further the SPV spectroscopy powerful potentialities for nondestructive contactless characterization at room temperature of complicated nanostructures with graded interfaces.