Strain-induced band-gap modulation in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum-well structure using thin-film stressors

The effect of strain-induced band-gap modulation has been studied in a GaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well structure with the wells located at various depths in the structure. The energy change in the quantum wells was calculated based on simple elasticity theory and measured using photoluminescence on the structure where a thin-film stressor array was deposited. Metallic thin-film stressors were made by conventional thin-film deposition techniques followed by photolithography. It was found that the elasticity theory describes the energy changes reasonably well in comparison with the experimental results. For stressor layers that react with the heterojunction structure, the situation was more complex and requires more detailed analysis. Based on the calculated and experimental results it appears possible to fabricate quantum wire with lateral dimensions of less than 100 nm using thin-film technology and e-beam lithography. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.