Control over the parameters of InAs-GaAs quantum dot arrays in the Stranski-Krastanow growth mode

The effect of the growth temperature on the density, lateral size, and height of InAs-GaAs quantum dots (QD) has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. With the growth temperature increasing from 450 to 520°C, the density and height of QDs decrease, whereas their lateral size increases; i.e., the QDs are flattened. The blue shift of the photoluminescence line indicates decreasing QD volume. The observed behavior is in agreement with the thermodynamic model of QD formation. The effect of lowering the substrate temperature immediately after the formation of QDs on the QD parameters has been studied. On lowering the temperature, the lateral size of QDs decreases and their density increases; i.e., the parameters of QD arrays tend to acquire the equilibrium parameters corresponding at the temperature to which the cooling is done. The QD height rapidly increases with cooling and may exceed the equilibrium value for a finite time of cooling, which enables fabrication of QD arrays with a prescribed ratio between height and lateral size by choosing the time of cooling.     

Operating characteristics and their anisotropy in a high-power laser (1.5 W, 300 K) with a quantum-dot active region

Continuous-wave lasing has been demonstrated in a vertically coupled quantum-dot laser with a high output power (1.5 W) at room temperature. It was shown that anisotropy of the quantum dot profile leads to anisotropy of the laser operating characteristics. Pis’ma Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 24, 50–55 (May 12, 1998)     

Influence of the position of InGaAs quantum dot array on the spectral characteristics of AlGaAs/GaAs photovoltaic converters

Results of a comparative study of the internal quantum yield of AlGaAs/GaAs photovoltaic converters (PVCs) with variable position of the array of vertically coupled InGaAs quantum dots (QDs) are presented. It is established that the QD array placed immediately at the i-region/base interface does not change the PVC sensitivity compared to that for QDs arranged inside the i-region of the p-n junction. However, the QD array shifted to the base or the back potential barrier decreases the contribution of a base layer to the PVC photocurrent and reduces the photosensitivity of the QD-based medium.     

Degradation-robust 850-nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers for 25Gb/s optical data transmission

Highly efficient fast vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) for the 850-nm spectral range, promising for the development of optical interconnections with a data transmission rate of 25 Gbit/s per channel, are fabricated and studied. Lasers with a selectively oxidized current aperture 6 μm in diameter demonstrate multimode lasing with a quantum efficiency of 35–45% and a threshold current of 0.5–0.7 mA in the temperature range 20–85°C. According to the results of small-signal frequency analysis, the maximum modulation frequency of the lasers exceeds 17 GHz, with the rate of its increase with current exceeding 9 GHz/mA^1/2, which provides VCSEL operation at a rate of 25 Gbit/s in the entire working temperature range. Endurance tests for 3000 h did not reveal any sudden degradation of the lasers. The optical power at working point and the threshold current changed relative to that at the beginning of the tests by no more than 5 and 10%, respectively.     

Three-dimensionally confined excitons and biexcitons in submonolayer-CdSe/ZnSe superlattices

We report on structural and optical investigations of submonolayer-CdSe/ZnSe superlattices with varying thicknesses of the ZnSe spacer layers. High-resolution electron microscopy images demonstrate the formation of two-dimensional nanoscale CdSe islands for submonolayer-CdSe depositions. The vertical island arrangement is anti-correlated for spacer layer thicknesses exceeding 30Å, while predominantly vertically correlated growth occurs for thinner spacers. The different vertical ordering of the CdSe islands results in two clearly distinguishable lines in photoluminescence and optical reflectance spectra, which are attributed to excitons localized in quantum dots (QDs) formed by vertically coupled and uncoupled (Cd,Zn)Se islands, respectively. δ-like emission of single QDs is demonstrated and the different carrier localization in uncoupled and coupled QDs is reflected in the polarization of the edge emission. Stimulated emission and resonant waveguiding effects are observed for both states. At the highest excitation densities, we observe saturation of the stimulated emission in edge geometry attributed to saturation of localized states.     

High-Speed Quantum-Dot Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers

We report on recent progress in high-speed quantum-dot (QD) vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). Advanced types of QD media allow an ultrahigh modal gain, avoid temperature depletion, and gain saturation effects. Temperature robustness up to 100degC for 0.96-1.25 mum range devices is realized in the continuous wave (cw) regime. An open eye 20 Gb/s operation with bit error rates better than 10^-12 has been achieved in a temperature range 25degC - 85degC without current adjustment. A different approach for ultrahigh-speed operation is based on a combination of the VCSEL section, operating in the CW mode with an additional section of the device, which is electrooptically modulated under a reverse bias. The tuning of a resonance wavelength of the second section, caused by the electrooptic effect, affects the transmission of the system. The approach enables ultrahigh-speed signal modulation. 60 GHz electrical and ~35 GHz optical (limited by the photodetector response) bandwidths are realized.     

Stark effect in vertically coupled quantum dots in InAs-GaAs heterostructures

The results of studies of hole energy states in vertically coupled quantum dots in InAs-GaAs p-n heterostructures by deep-level transient spectroscopy are reported. Spectra were recorded at different reverse-bias voltages. Levels related to bonding and antibonding s and p states of vertically coupled quantum dots were revealed. The energies of these states significantly depend on an external electric field applied to a heterostructure. This dependence was attributed to the quantum-dimensional Stark effect for the hole states of vertically coupled quantum dots. In addition to this, it was found that the energy of thermal activation of carriers from vertically coupled quantum dots depends on the conditions of isochronous annealing that was carried out both with the reverse bias switched-on and switched-off and both in the presence and absence of illumination. These changes, as in the case of isolated quantum dots, are typical of a bistable electrostatic dipole formed by carriers, localized in a coupled quantum dot, and ionized lattice point defects. The built-in electric field of this dipole reduces the energy barrier for the carriers in the coupled quantum dot. The investigated structures with vertically coupled quantum dots were grown using molecular-beam epitaxy taking account of self-assembling effects.     

Optical properties of structures with ultradense arrays of Ge QDs in an Si matrix

The structural and optical properties of ultrathin Ge insertions in an Si matrix were studied. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the spontaneous formation of arrays of disk-shaped quantum dots (QDs) with a small lateral size (3–10 nm) at a nominal Ge insertion thicknesses, from submonolayer to nearly critical, for the transition to 3D growth by the Stranski-Krastanow mechanism. Optical study revealed type-I band alignment in these structures, which results from the strong contribution of the electron-hole Coulomb interaction overpowering the repulsion potential for an electron existing in the Ge conduction band. The small lateral size of QDs lifts the selection rule prohibiting indirect recombination in the inverse k space. At the same time, the high surface density of QDs (10¹²–10¹³ cm^?2) and the possibility of their stacking with the use of ultrathin Si spacers allows the obtainment of an ultrahigh volume density of QDs (up to 10¹⁹ cm^?3), which is necessary to achieve stimulated emission in Si. A sample with stacked QDs formed by 0.7-nm-thick Ge insertions exhibited a superlinear increase of the photoluminescence (PL) intensity, accompanied by narrowing of the PL line. The doping of Ge-Si structures with donors allows for a drastic increase in the PL intensity at high temperatures, which prevents depletion of the active region in weakly localized electrons.     

A study of carrier statistics in InGaN/Gan LED structures

The carrier statistics in LED structures with ultrathin multilayer InGaN insertions in a GaN matrix was studied. The optical data obtained indicate that an array of quantum dots (QDs) is formed in these structures. The QDs are scattered in size, which leads to an inhomogeneous broadening of the energy spectrum of carriers localized in the QDs. It is shown that, despite the suppressed transport of carriers between QDs, carriers are distributed among the levels of the QD array quasi-statistically at temperatures of about room temperature and higher. This makes it possible to describe the carrier injection and recombination in the device structures studied in terms of quasi-Fermi levels for electrons and holes.     

High-power monolithic passively modelocked quantum-dot laser

High-power operation of monolithic modelocked lasers based on 1.26 /spl mu/m self-organised quantum dots has been achieved in the 30-60/spl deg/C range for the first time. A 60/spl deg/C peak power reaches 1.7 W with a pulse width of 3.2 ps at a repetition frequency of 5 GHz.