Group V interdiffusion in In/sub 0.66/Ga/sub 0.33/As/ In/sub 0.66/Ga/sub 0.33/As/sub 0.7/P/sub 0.3/ quantum well structures

Abstract

The diffusion coefficient for arsenic and phosphorous interdiffusion has been measured as a function of temperature in In/sub 0.66/Ga/sub 0.33/As/ In/sub 0.66/Ga/sub 0.33/As/sub 0.7/P/sub 0.3/ strained quantum wells, using the photoluminescence from the n = 1 electron to heavy hole transition. The authors have used the shift in the photoluminescence from a 100/spl Aring/ single quantum well of In/sub 0.66/Ga/sub 0.33/As in In/sub 0.66/Ga/sub 0.33/As/sub 0.7/P/sub 0.3/ barriers with annealing to monitor the interdiffusion. In this system there is no concentration gradient to drive group III interdiffusion and therefore the variation in the photoluminescence transition energy was modeled using only phosphorous/arsenic interdiffusion in the model. By performing several anneals to a single sample and measuring the shift in the photoluminescence after each anneal the interdiffusion was monitored as a function of time. Between temperatures of 900/spl deg/C and 700/spl deg/C the diffusion coefficient, D, can be described using the relationship D = D/sub o/exp(-E/sub A//kT) where D/sub o/ = 507 cm/sup 2//s and E/sub A/ = 3.9 eV.<>