Tuning quantum dot properties by activated phase separation of an InGa(Al)As alloy grown on InAs stressors

Strain-driven decomposition of an alloy layer is investigated as a means to control the structural and electronic properties of self-organized quantum dots. Coherent InAs/GaAs islands overgrown with an InGa(Al)As alloy layer serve as a model system. Cross-section and plan-view transmission electron microscopy as well as photoluminescence (PL) studies consistently indicate an increase in height and width of the island with increasing indium content and/or thickness of the alloy layer. The increasing island size is attributed to the phase separation of the alloy layer driven by the surface strain introduced by the initial InAs islands. The decomposition is enhanced by the addition of aluminum to the alloy layer. The ground-state transition energy in such quantum dots is significantly (up to 200 meV) redshifted compared to the original InAs/GaAs quantum dots, allowing to reach the 1.3 μm spectral region maintaining the high PL efficiency and the low defect density typical for Stranski-Krastanow growth. The possibility of degradation less stacking of such quantum dot layers enables injection lasing on the ground-state transition with a differential efficiency of 57% and a continuous-wave output power of 2.7 W.