Effect of strain on a second-order van Hove singularity in AlxGa1xAs/InyGa1yAs quantum wells

M. Kemerink, P. M. Koenraad, and J. H. Wolter
Phys. Rev. B 54, 10644 – Published 15 October 1996
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Abstract

We have performed low-temperature photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) measurements on highly degenerate p-type GaAs and InyGa1yAs quantum wells. In the PLE spectrum of the GaAs well, evidence of a second-order van Hove singularity in the joint density of states of the ground-state light-hole and electron bands is found. This singularity results from the equality of ground-state light-hole and electron effective masses near the Γ point, being a much more restrictive demand than the usual condition for a van Hove singularity, which requires only the equality of first derivatives of the subband dispersions. The second-order van Hove singularity gives rise to a power-law divergence at the singular point, whereas the corresponding usual van Hove singularity results in a steplike discontinuity in the joint density of states. The observed singularity could be described extremely well by a simple analytical model. The increased energy gap between light- and heavy-hole ground states in the compressively strained InyGa1yAs well enhances the valence-band parabolicity, resulting in the disappearance of the van Hove singularity. Furthermore, it is shown that the anisotropic character of the heavy-hole ground state in GaAs is strongly suppressed in the InyGa1yAs system. All experiments are in good agreement with our numerical modeling, based on an exact solution of the 4×4 Luttinger Hamiltonian. © 1996 The American Physical Society.

  • Received 18 March 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.54.10644

©1996 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

M. Kemerink, P. M. Koenraad, and J. H. Wolter

  • COBRA Interuniversity Research Institute, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands

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Vol. 54, Iss. 15 — 15 October 1996

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