Substrate misorientation effects on the structure and electronic properties of GaInAs-AlInAs interfaces

Abstract
The effects of substrate misorientation on the interface quality of Ga0.47In0.53As/Al0.48In0.52As quantum well structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy lattice matched on InP substrates have been investigated. Transmission electron microscopy and low‐temperature (15 K) cathodoluminescence spectra have been used to characterize the GaInAs/AlInAs layers and analyze the effects of nucleation and growth kinetics on the heterojunction interface quality. The quantum well luminescence line shape correlates with the presence of compositional fluctuations in the AlInAs layers and thickness variations of the quantum wells for structures deposited on misoriented substrates. Rapid thermal annealing of these samples improves the quantum well luminescence characteristics.