Size-filtering effects by stacking InAs/InP (001) self-assembled quantum wires into multilayers

Multilayer structure containing vertically stacked InAs/InP self-assembled quantum wires have been successfully grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. The influence of the InP spacer layer thickness on the structural and optical properties of the wire superlattice has been studied by means of transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence. The coherent propagation of the strain field in the sample with a 5-nm-thick spacer determines by a size filtering effect a good homogeneity and uniformity of the wire stacks, and hence a good optical quality. The exciton recombination dynamics in the wire superlattice cannot be related to thermal escape of carriers out to the barriers, as occurs in single layer samples.