Intermixing behavior in InGaAs/InGaAsP multiple quantum wells with dielectric and InGaAs capping layers

Abstract

The influence of the InGaAs capping layer on the intermixing behavior of dielectric-capped In0.53Ga0.47 As/In0.81Ga0.19As0.37P0.63 multiple quantum wells (MQWs) was investigated by measuring the change in the photoluminescence spectra after rapid thermal annealing. The magnitude of the energy shift in the transition energy from the first electronic sub-band to the first heavy- and light-hole sub-bands of the MQWs is large when SiO2 and InGaAs hybrid capping layers are employed, but it is rather small when Si3N4 and InGaAs hybrid capping layers are employed. This result indicates that the InGaAs capping layer holds promise for applications involved in the fabrication of integrated photonic devices, but only when it is incorporated with the SiO2 capping layer. The reason why the InGaAs capping layer behaves differently under the SiO2 and Si3N4 capping layers is also discussed.