PHOTOLUMINESCENCE OF VIRTUAL-SURFACTANT GROWN INAS/AL0.48IN0.52AS SINGLE QUANTUM-WELLS

Strained InAs/Al0.48In0.52As single quantum wells (QWs) grown by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy on InP substrates are studied by photoluminescence spectroscopy. The thickness of the InAs QW lies between 2 and 16 monolayers, corresponding to an intrinsic emission wavelength between 0.9 and 1.8-mu-m at 6 K. We demonstrate that the growth of the InAs QW under virtual-surfactant conditions, i.e., by keeping the As shutter closed throughout the growth of the well, gives a striking improvement of the optical properties, as compared to conventionally grown samples. Finally, we report on the first room-temperature luminescence of this QW system.