Scanning Microscopy
Abstract
The influence of defects on electron-hole plasma transport in nipi-doped in 0.2Ga0.8As/GaAs multiple quantum wells (MQWs) has been studied using a novel technique called electron beam induced absorption modulation (EBIA) imaging. Modulation doped MQW structures exhibit large optical nonlinearities and are important for the development of all-optical spatial light modulators used in optical computing and communication. The electron-hole plasma is generated by a high-energy electron beam in a scanning electron microscope and is used as a probe to study the MQW absorption modulation induced locally by the electron beam. The influence of structural defects on the diffusive transport of carriers is imaged with a μm-scale resolution. A strong spatial correlation between dark line defects observed in cathodoluminescence (CL) and absorption modulation steps in EBIA reveals the existence of strain-induced band edge fluctuations that are caused by misfit dislocations. The spatial variation of stress in metalorganic chemical vapor deposition grown GaAs/Si has been studied with linearly polarized cathodoluminescence (LPCL). GaAs grown on Si wafers in selective areas (10 to 1000 μm mesas) were studied. The large difference in thermal expansion coefficient between GaAs and Si results in thermal stress-induced microcracks and dislocations which can occur upon cooling from growth temperatures. Using LPCL, we have determined the spatial distribution of the stress tensor from the polarized CL strain-split peak positions and solutions to the orbital-strain Hamiltonian.
Recommended Citation
Rich, D. H.; Lin, H. T.; Tang, Y.; Rammohan, K.; and Larsson, A.
(1995)
"Optical Studies of InGaAs/GaAs Multiple Quantum Wells (MQW's) and GaAs/Si Using Novel Scanning Electron Microscopy Based Techniques,"
Scanning Microscopy: Vol. 1995:
No.
9, Article 11.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/microscopy/vol1995/iss9/11