One-dimensional exciton luminescence induced by extended defects in nonpolar GaN/(Al,Ga)N quantum wells

In this study, we present the optical properties of nonpolar GaN/(Al,Ga)N single quantum wells (QWs) grown on either a- or m-plane GaN templates for Al contents set below 15%. In order to reduce the density of extended defects, the templates have been processed using the epitaxial lateral overgrowth technique. As expected for polarization-free heterostructures, the larger the QW width for a given Al content, the narrower the QW emission line. In structures with an Al content set to 5 or 10%, we also observe emission from excitons bound to the intersection of I1-type basal plane stacking faults (BSFs) with the QW. Similarly to what is seen in bulk material, the temperature dependence of BSF-bound QW exciton luminescence reveals intra-BSF localization. A qualitative model evidences the large spatial extension of the wavefunction of these BSF-bound QW excitons, making them extremely sensitive to potential fluctuations located in and away from BSF. Finally, polarization-dependent measurements show a strong emission anisotropy for BSF-bound QW excitons, which is related to their one-dimensional character and that confirms that the intersection between a BSF and a GaN/(Al,Ga)N QW can be described as a quantum wire.

Tailored-Potential Pyramidal Quantum Dot Heterostructures

Valentina Troncale

Semiconductor quantum dots are usually compared to artificial atoms, because their electronic structure consists of discrete energy levels as for natural atoms. These artificial systems are integrated in solid materials and can be localized with a spatial precision of the order of nanometers. Besides, they conserve their quantum properties even at quite high temperatures (∼ 10 K). These properties make quantum dots one of the most suitable systems for the realization of quantum devices and computers. However, the energy states and the optical properties of quantum dots are much more complicated than for atoms, because a quantum dot is never an isolated potential well. Instead, its electronic structure depends on the crystallin structure of the semiconductor material and on the Coulomb ion-electron and electron-electron correlations. In particular, the presence of several valence bands and their mixing, induced by quantum confinement, gives rise to novel properties which are still not completely understood and exploited in applications. To get a major advance in this field, a full deterministic control of the spatial shape of the quantum confinement is needed, combined with a deeper understanding of the connections between electronic and optical properties. This thesis work has these two main objectives. We realized and experimentally studied different quantum dot systems, in pyramidal hetero-structures grown with MOCVD techniques. These systems allowed the realization of several different geometries for the carrier confining potential, with a precision in the order of nanometers. The optical characterization has been obtained in particular by means of polarization-resolved microphotoluminescence, magneto-photoluminescence, excitation photoluminescence (PLE), and interferometry techniques. For single quantum dots, we have observed and characterized for the first time new excitonic complexes, arising from excited hole states. This allowed a full caracterizatioon of the valence band hole states in our peculiar system. By means of photon correlation measurements, we have also experimentally demonstrated that, even in presence of a large family of exciton states, these quantum dot systems can emit single photons. We have then realized much more complex quantum dot structures, double dot systems (quantum dot molecules) and a completely new system called Dot-in-Dot (DiD). This latter is composed by a small inner dot surrounded by an electrostatic potential well (which can be considered as an outer elongated dot). Such a composite system is characterized by a strong valence band mixing. This state superposition is however very sensitive to small variations of the confining potential. Therefore the degree of valence band mixing can be easily switched by the introduction of a week external field. Since the valence band mixing determines the polarization properties of the emitted light, the DiD changes the polarization properties of its emission spectrum under the action of an external field. In particular, we have experimentally demonstrated this effect for an external static magnetic field, while we have numerically predicted a very similar effect for a static electric field. In the latter case, the polarization switching is a direct consequence of the quantum confined Stark effect induced in the DiD. Hence the DiD appears to be an ideal candidate for realizing emitters of single photons with tunable and controllable polarization.

EPFL2010

Site- and energy-controlled pyramidal quantum dot heterostructures

Martin Henrik Baier, Marc-André Dupertuis, Benjamin Dwir, Elyahou Kapon, Klaus Leifer

The formation mechanisms, structure and optoelectronic properties of Ga(In)As/(Al)GaAs quantum dot (QD) heterostructures grown by organometallic chemical vapor deposition on patterned (111)B GaAs substrates are reviewed. With this approach, it is possible to prepare high-quality semiconductor QDs whose position on a substrate is precisely controlled via a pre-growth photolithography step. The dots are formed at the center of an inverted, tetrahedral pyramid and are surrounded by distinct, low-dimensional barriers (quantum wires and quantum wells). Reproducible neutral and charged exciton states are observed in the QDs and are probed using microphotoluminescence and photon correlation spectroscopy. Single- and correlated-photon emissions are systematically detected from specific single and biexciton states. The emission spectra of light emitting diodes incorporating single pyramidal dots indicate the possibility of preferential injection of charge carriers via self-ordered wires connected to the dots. Finally, photonic crystal structures incorporating pyramidal QDs with controlled energy states are demonstrated. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

2004

Optical polarization anisotropy and hole states in pyramidal quantum dots

Elyahou Kapon, Daniel Oberli, Alok Rudra, Valentina Troncale

The authors present a polarization-resolved photoluminescence study of single semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) interconnected to quantum wires, measured both in a top geometry, and in a less conventional cleaved-edge geometry. Strong polarization anisotropy is revealed for all observed transitions, and it is deduced that closely spaced QD hole states exhibit nearly pure heavy-or light-hole character. These effects are attributed to the large aspect ratio of the dot shape. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

2006

Tailored-Potential Pyramidal Quantum Dot Heterostructures

Valentina Troncale

EPFL2010