Miniband-related 1.4–1.8 μm luminescence of Ge/Si quantum dot superlattices

The luminescence properties of highly strained, Sb-doped Ge/Si multi-layer heterostructures with incorporated Ge quantum dots (QDs) are studied. Calculations of the electronic band structure and luminescence measurements prove the existence of an electron miniband within the columns of the QDs. Miniband formation results in a conversion of the indirect to a quasi-direct excitons takes place. The optical transitions between electron states within the miniband and hole states within QDs are responsible for an intense luminescence in the 1.4–1.8 µm range, which is maintained up to room temperature. At 300 K, a light emitting diode based on such Ge/Si QD superlattices demonstrates an external quantum efficiency of 0.04% at a wavelength of 1.55 µm

An asymmetric quantum well infrared photodetector with voltage-tunable narrow and broad-band response

We describe a 9 \ufffdm AlGaAs/GaAs asymmetric quantum well infrared photodetector with voltage tunable spectral bandwidth. A very narrow spectral response of 9.2 meV (0.6 \ufffdm) full width half maximum is observed for an applied electric field of 28 kV/cm. The linewidth quadruples when the bias polarity is reversed, with very little shift in the peak detection wavelength. This structure is based on a conventional intersubband photodetector modified by using AlGaAs barriers that are graded in Al content and by adding a thin AlGaAs confinement layer on one side of the well. The asymmetry in the barriers is shown to give rise to the dependence of the spectral linewidth on applied bias. As well, a series of unusually well-resolved and intense bound-to-continuum transitions are observed at low bias, that may indicate that the unique barrier shape also leads to enhanced electron interference effects at the well/barrier interfaces.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye