Peculiarities in optical response of hybrid-barrier GaSb/InAs/AlSb resonant tunneling diode structure

Abstract

We present comprehensive investigation of the optical properties of hybrid-barrier GaSb-based resonant tunneling structures, containing a bulk-like GaInAsSb absorption layer and two asymmetric type II GaSb/InAs/AlSb quantum wells. Methods of optical spectroscopy by means of Fourier-transformed photoluminescence and photoreflectance are employed to probe optical transitions in this complex multilayer system. Based on the comparison between the absorption-like and emission-like spectra (also in function of temperature) confronted with band structure calculations four main transitions could be resolved and identified. For one of them, there has been observed unusually strong linear polarization dependence never reported in structures of that kind. It has been interpreted as related to a transition at the GaSb/GaInAsSb interface, for which various scenarios causing the polarization selectivity are discussed.