InAs quantum wire induced composition modulation in an In0.53Ga0.37Al0.10As barrier layer grown on an InP substrate

Composition modulations are observed by transmission electron microscopy in In0.53Ga0.37Al0.10As barrier layers that overgrow both single- and multilayer InAs quantum wire structures grown on an InP substrate. Indium-rich (gallium-deficient) regions were observed in the region of the barrier layer lying directly above individual quantum wires, while indium-deficient (gallium-rich) regions were detected in the barrier above the gaps between adjacent underlying quantum wires. The magnitude of such modulation was typically 7% (atomic percent) for both indium and gallium as estimated from the energy dispersive x-ray analysis. The origin of such composition modulations was determined by modeling the chemical potential distribution for indium and gallium on the growth front of the barrier layer at the initial capping stage of the quantum wires with finite element simulations. It is found that the number and positions of the indium-rich regions are determined by the combined effects of strain and surface energy distributions on the barrier material capping the quantum wires. Moreover the estimated magnitudes of the composition modulation for both indium and gallium from the finite element models are in good agreement with the experimental observations. This method provides a simple way to understand the origin of, and to estimate the magnitude of the quantum wire-induced composition modulation in the barrier layer.