Photoluminescence study of InxGa1-xAs/InyAl1-yAs one-side-modulation-doped asymmetric step quantum wells

Fourier transform photoluminescence measurements were carried out to investigate the optical transitions in InxGa1-xAs/InyAl1-yAs one-side-modulation-doped asymmetric step quantum wells. Samples with electron density n(s) between 0.8 and 5.3 x 10(12) cm(-2) rue studied. Strong recombination involving one to three populated electron subbands with the first heavy-hole subband is observed. Fermi edge singularity (FES) clearly can be observed for some samples. The electron subband energies in the InGaAs/InAlAs step quantum wells were calculated by a self-consistent method, taking into account strain and nonparabolicity effects and the comparison with the experimental data shows a good agreement. Our results can help improve understanding for the application of InGaAs/InAlAs step quantum wells in microelectronic and optoelectronic devices. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.