A Study of Layer Thickness and Interface Qualities of Strained InxGa1-xAs/GaAs Layers

Abstract
The relationships between the layer thickness and the corresponding interface qualities of strained InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells grown by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition are investigated. The strain-induced phenomena are explained from the transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) images and low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurement. When the critical layer thickness of InGaAs was approached, extrinsic luminescence in the PL emission spectra and an interface wavy effect in the XTEM image were observed. A new “3-dimensional confinement model” is proposed to explain these phenomena satisfactorily.