We demonstrate the high quantum efficiency InAs∕In0.15Ga0.85As dots-in-a-well (DWELL) quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs). A thin Al0.3Ga0.7As layer was inserted on top of the InAs quantum dots (QDs) to enhance the confinement of QD states in the DWELL structure. The better confinement of the electronic states increases the oscillation strength of the infrared absorption. The higher excited state energy also improves the escape probability of the photoelectrons. Compared with the conventional DWELL QDIPs, the quantum efficiency increases more than 20 times and the detectivity is about an order of magnitude higher at 77K.

The evolution of InAs quantum ring (QR) formation and the corresponding optical properties were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Just like a nanoscale volcanic eruption, the transformation from quantum dots (QDs) to QRs using the capping and annealing process depends on how much InAs is removed from the center of the dots to the surrounding areas. The final structure was found to depend on the annealing temperature and the cap layer thickness. We have investigated the QR formation at different stages using various growth conditions. The findings provided a clear picture on the mechanism of ring formation. We were able to obtain QRs with various geometries by controlling these growth parameters.

The diamagnetic shifts of neutral excitons and biexcitons confined in single self-assembled In͑Ga͒As/GaAs quantum rings are investigated. Unlike quantum dots, quantum rings reveal a considerably large biexciton diamagnetic shift, about two times larger than that of single excitons. Based on model calculations, we found that the inherent structural asymmetry and imperfection, combined with the interparticle Coulomb interactions, is the fundamental cause of the more extended biexciton wave function in the quantum rings. The exciton wave function tends to be localized in one of the potential valleys induced by structural imperfections of the quantum ring due to the strong localization of hole and the electron-hole Coulomb attraction, resembling the behavior in single dots. Our results suggest that the phase coherence of neutral excitons in quantum rings will be smeared out by such wave function localizations.

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Characteristics of In͑Ga͒As quantum ring infrared photodetectors ͑QRIPs͒ were investigated under normal incidence configuration. Compared with quantum dot infrared photodetectors ͑QDIPs͒, QRIPs showed wider photocurrent spectra, more stable responsivity with temperature change, and lower dark current activation energy. The wide detection band comes from the transitions from the quantum ring ͑QR͒ ground states to different excited states. The shallow confinement states generate higher dark current and enhance the carrier flow between the QRs within the same QR layer. This carrier flow averages out the repulsive potential and makes QRIPs behave similarly to the quantum well infrared photodetectors instead of QDIPs. With an Al 0.27 Ga 0.73 As current blocking layer, the performance of QRIPs was greatly enhanced.