We describe the main problems encountered in MBE growth of GaAs/AlAs superlattices and heterostructures. Then, basic features for the understanding of their electronic properties are given, in the envelope-function formalism, and some related optical experiments are reviewed.
An asymmetric n-i-n like-II GaAs/GaAlAs/AlAs quantum heterostructure was designed and fabricated in order to observe a static photovoltage with a spectrally dependent sign. This photovoltage is associated with a light induced spatial separation of electrons and holes within selected regions of the structure. The observed photovoltage spectrum is compared with luminescence and luminescence excitation results.
We present a bistability of low temperature photoluminescence in a n-i-n type-II GaAs/AlAs quantum heterostructure. Spectral analysis and electrical measurements indicate that the two states correspond to hole accumulation in different layers. The transition occurs with the alignment of electronic Γ and X states due to optical pumping, and no external voltage bias is needed.
The existence of type-II structures made from the combination of Ga_{1-x}AI_{x}As alloy and a short period GaAs/AlAs type-I superlattice is presented. Such three material structures are of type-II having at the same time electrons and holes of Γ-symmetry. This contrasts with the usual situation in type-II two material GaAs/AlAs structure where the ground state of electrons is of X-symmetry. The mechanism allowing creation of three material type-II structures is based on the difference of effective masses of electrons and holes. It should be valid for all similar semiconductor systems. Experimental results of photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation studies of such structures made by Molecular Beam Epitaxy are presented. We determine the mutual positions of the electron and hole ground levels in the alloy and pseudoalloy and confirm that the studied structure is of type-II.
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