Influence of surface segregation on the optical properties of semiconductor quantum wells

Abstract

We studied the influence of surface segregation on optical properties of semiconductor quantum wells. This effect leads to significant deviations of composition profiles from expected rectangular profiles. The model of Muraki is used to simulate composition profiles of InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells for different segregation efficiencies from which we derive potentials for electrons and holes. To compute eigenenergies the Schrödinger equation is numerically solved. The transition energies are calculated from the energy differences of electrons and holes as a function of segregation efficiency. We find that the optical properties are influenced for segregation efficiencies larger than 0.7. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.