Effects of high potential barrier on InAs quantum dots and wetting layer

Effects of a thin AlAs layer (1 nm) with different position on InAs quantum dots (QDs) and wetting layer have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), and photoreflectance (PR). The PL peak position of InAs QDs directly grown on the thin AlAs is blueshifted from that of InAs QDs grown on the GaAs layer by 171 meV mainly due to the high potential barrier and reduced dot size shown in the TEM image. As the additional GaAs layer (1 and 2 nm) is inserted on top of the AlAs layer, the PL peak position is systematically shifted toward longer wavelength with increase in the thickness. Temperature dependent PL of QD samples shows that a thin AlAs layer significantly influences the thermal activation energy. The wetting layer related peak in PR spectra is changed to lower energy with increase in the thickness of an additional GaAs layer, which is mainly caused by the reduction in the effects of the AlAs layer. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.