Microstructural and optical properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dots embedded in modulation-doped AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs heterostructures

Abstract

The microstructural and the optical properties of InAs/GaAs quantum-dot (QD) arrays inserted into undoped GaAs barriers embedded in an AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs were investigated by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The TEM images and the selected-area electron diffraction patterns showed that vertically stacked InAs QD self-assembled arrays were embedded in the GaAs barriers. The temperature-dependent PL spectra showed that the peak corresponding to the interband transitions from the ground electronic subband to the ground heavy-hole band of the InAs QDs shifted to lower energy with increasing temperature. The PL intensity of the InAs dots was significantly enhanced by the modulation-doped AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs heterostructure, and the thermal activation energy of the InAs dots was decreased by the addition of the modulation-doped AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs heterostructure. The present results can help to improve the understanding of the microstructural and the optical properties in InAs QD arrays inserted into GaAs barriers embedded in a modulation-doped AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs heterostructure.