Optimizing the InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots for 1.3 μm emission

Hereby we present comprehensive experimental and theoretical study on fundamental optical properties and electronic structure of GaAs-based quantum dots grown using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technique. The substantial redshift of emission, to the second telecommunication window of 1.3 μm, in comparison to standard InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots is obtained via strain engineering utilizing additional capping layer of In_{0.2}Ga_{0.8}As in this context referred to as strain reducing layer. It ensures lowering of the energy of the ground state transition to more application relevant spectral range. Optical properties of the quantum dot structure has been experimentally characterized by means of photoreflectance spectroscopy and power-dependent photoluminescence revealing 3 transitions originating from hybrid states confined in an asymmetric double quantum well formed of the wetting layer and strain reducing layer, as well as higher states of the quantum dots themselves with the first excited state transition separated by 67 meV from the ground state transition. Origin of the observed transitions was confirmed in theoretical modelling using 1-band single-particle approach for the quantum well part, and excitonic quantum dot spectrum obtained within 8 band k·p formalism followed by configuration interaction calculations, respectively. Additionally, photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy measurements allowed to identify a spectral range for efficient quasi-resonant excitation of the investigated quantum dots into the 2D density of states to be in the range of 835-905 nm.