Effect of layer separation, InAs thickness, and rapid thermal annealing on the optical emission from a multi-layer quantum wire structure

Abstract

Multi-layer InAs quantum wire stacks with different layer separations (8, 15, and 25 nm) and InAs thicknesses (3, 4, 5, and 7 monolayers [ML]) were grown on and embedded in In0.53Ga0.27Al0.20As barrier/spacer layers lattice-matched to an InP substrate. For the samples with 4 ML of InAs and different layer separations, double peak photoluminescence was observed from quantum wire stacks separated by 8 nm, and with a 15 nm spacer layer a long wavelength component was observed extending from the main peak. Only a single peak was found as the spacer layer thickness was increased to 25 nm. For the quantum wire stacks with different InAs layer thicknesses and a separation of 8 nm, double peak photoluminescence spectra were observed in the sample with 4 ML of InAs, and a main peak with a long wavelength component was obtained from the sample with 3 ML of InAs. Only a single peak was detectable for the InAs layer thicknesses of 5 and 7 ML. The optical emission features were studied via temperature and excitation laser power dependent photoluminescence. Based on the photoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy observations, photoluminescence spectral features can be attributed to a bi-modal height distribution in certain samples. In order to extend the optical emission to room temperature, the sample with 5 ML of InAs and an 8 nm spacer layer was subjected to post-growth rapid thermal annealing at different temperatures. The emission wavelength was tunable from 1.63 to 1.72 μm at room temperature.