Strain-induced quenching of optical transitions in capped self-assembled quantum dot structures

Strain-induced quenching of optimal transitions has been found in capped self-assembled quantum dot structures. Light absorption at the E-1 and E-1+ Delta(1) critical points of InSb islands buried in InP disappears for nominal InSb thicknesses lower than 10 monolayers as a consequence of the strain produced inside the islands bq the cap layer. Certainly, this strain increases as the InSb deposition diminishes. changing the band lineup of the system from type-I to type-II and therefore drastically reducing the oscillator strengths of the island-related E-1 and E-1 + Delta(1) transitions. [S0031-9007(97)05086-2].