Influence of GaAs spacer-layer thickness on quantum coupling and optical polarization in a ten-layer system of vertically correlated InAs/GaAs quantum dots

Abstract

The polarization anisotropy of electroluminescence and absorption in a ten-layer system of vertically correlated InAs quantum dots separated by 8.6-nm-thick GaAs spacer layers is investigated experimentally. The quantum-dot system is built into a two-section laser structure with sections of equal length. It is found that the polarization anisotropy in this system is smaller than the anisotropy in similar systems with a single layer of quantum dots or quantum-dot molecules, but larger than that in a quantum-dot superlattice. The spectra of differential absorption in the structure under study for different strengths of the applied electric field are also investigated. The rate of variation in the Stark shift as a function of the electric field is determined, the results giving evidence of controlled quantum coupling between adjacent quantum dots in tenlayer vertically correlated InAs/GaAs quantum-dot systems with 8.6- and 30-nm-thick GaAs spacer layers. The measured polarization dependences are explained by the participation of heavy-hole ground states in optical transitions. This effect is defined by the two dimensional nature of the system under study.