Effect of GaAs insertion layer on the properties improvement of InGaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Abstract Multiple quantum wells (MQWs) are commonly employed in InGaAs/AlGaAs semiconductor materials for devices such as semiconductor lasers and solar cells. However, the Indium atoms’ problems of segregation and large surface roughness, due to the different growth temperatures of well and barrier layers, have not yet been solved. In the present work, a GaAs material was designed as an insertion layer (ISL) and used in the structure of the InGaAs/AlGaAs MQWs. The study found that when the thickness of the GaAs ISL was 6 nm, the maximal properties of the InGaAs/AlGaAs MQWs were achieved. Various theoretical and experimental studies were performed to measure the crystal’s purity to elucidate the reasons for improving the InGaAs/AlGaAs MQWs. The measurements indicated that the AlGaAs barrier guaranteed more radiative recombination in the MQWs’ structure while simultaneously ensuring the GaAs ISL diminished surface roughness and the Indium atoms’ segregation. The design of the InGaAs/AlGaAs MQWs creates new opportunities for innovative applications of next-generation diode lasers with optimized integration.