A Review of Semiconductor Quantum Well Devices

Abstract

Quantum well devices feature very thin epitaxial layers of heterostructure III-V and II-VI semiconductor materials that are grown using Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and Metal-Organic Chemical Vapour Deposition (MOCVD) growth techniques. These devices are monolithically integrated with various optoelectronic devices to provide photonic integrated circuit with increased functionality .The quantum well structure can be realized with GaAs as wells and AlGaAs as barriers for wavelength about 0.8 μm and InGaAsP/InP offering longer wavelengths (0.9-1.6 μm). Quantum well devices find their applications in quantum well lasers or improved lasers, photodetectors, modulators and switches. These devices operate much faster, more economically and have led to a million increases in speed, a point of enormous importance to the telecommunication and computer industry.

Keywords: Quantum well, Semiconductor, Heterostructures, Lasers, Detectors, Modulators.