Free carrier effects on the optical properties of InGaAsInP quantum wells

Abstract In this paper we present photoluminescence (PL) and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra as a function of electron sheet carrier density (ns) in a Schottky gated 110 A wide InGaAsInP quantum well. Major free carrier effects are observed on both the PL and PLE spectra. The PL spectra show a high energy cut-off at the electron Fermi energy for ns = 1.4 × 1011 cm−2. As ns tends to zero the PL linewidth decreases from the high energy side, as expected for free carrier broadening. At the same time the n=1 transitions observed in PLE show a marked increase in oscillator strength and narrowing as ns tends to zero. The PLE results are discussed in terms of phase space filling and the variation of many body effects as a function of ns. The many body nature of the PLE transitions at the Fermi energy, for finite ns, is further demonstrated by the anomalous temperature dependence of the n=1 heavy hole transition.

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