MBE growth of InAs/AlInAs strained-layer multi quantum wells for optical device applications

InAs/Al_0.48In_0.52As strained-layer single quantum wells and strained-layer multi quantum wells have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on (100)-InP substrates. Although there is highly biaxial compressive strain in this material, high-crystalline quality without misfit dislocations is demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and low temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements. PL peaks have been successfully observed from the MQWs with well width L_z of 9-40 Å. As for the sample with L_z = 9 Å, a large energy shift of 750 meV from the band-gap of bulk InAs was confirmed. A laser diode with InAs/AlInAs MQW active layer was also fabricated and the stimulated emission at 1.15 μm wavelength was confirmed at 77 K for the first time.