Optimization of growth of InGaAs/InP quantum wells using photoluminescence and secondary ion mass spectrometry

InGaAs/InP quantum wells of widths varying from 19 A to 150 A have been grown by MOVPE and the growth temperature optimized using photoluminescence and SIMS. It was thus found that for a 78 A well the lowest PL linewidth of 12.7 MeV at 12 K was obtained for growth at 625 deg C. SIMS also showed sharpest interfaces for this temperature compared with growth at 610 deg C and 640 deg C. The well widths determined from PL energies were in good agreement with a growth rate of 8.25 A/s. However, while the barrier widths of 150 A were in agreement with SIMS results, the well widths from SIMS were found to be much larger, due to a lower sputtering rate of InGaAs compared with InP. Quantitative comparison was made assuming the presence of InAsP and InGaAsP interface layers on either side of the wells and the relative sputtering rates determined. (author)