Photoluminescence characterization of GaAs quantum well laser structure with AlAs/GaAs superlattices waveguide

Dependence on the excitation power and temperature of the photoluminescence emission of GaAs quantum well laser structures using GaAs/AlAs superlattices in the waveguide is reported. The effects related to a quality reduction due to the presence of a thick ternary AlGaAs cladding layer in the bottom of the laser structure were elucidated by comparing to the photoluminescence of a similar waveguide structure, except for the AlGaAs bottom layer. The excitation power dependence shows the strong excitonic origin of the light emission in the temperature range 4-300 K in both structures. Carrier transport mechanisms through the superlattices is analyzed from the evolution of the photoluminescence of the quantum well and the superlattice confining layers; a structure dependent transparency temperature is defined, at which transport changes from tunneling assisted to extended minibands regime. The value of this parameter depends on the localized states in the superlattice minibands, caused by interface roughness.Peer Reviewe