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The five-layer asymmetric coupled quantum well (FACQW) is a new potential-tailored quantum well (QW) for ultrafast and low-voltage optical modulators and switches. First, the influence of one monolayer (ML) thickness variation of a single layer in the GaAs/AlGaAs FACQW on the electrorefractive index change Δn is theoretically studied. The thickness variation of two thicker GaAs layers has a considerable influence on Δn of the FACQW, while the thickness variation of thin AlAs and AlGaAs barrier layers has a smaller influence on Δn. The ratio of the thicknesses of the two GaAs well layers significantly affects the Δn characteristics of the FACQW. The change Δn does not vary appreciably as long as the ratio is kept constant. Second, the influence of the statistical fluctuation of the layer thickness by 1 ML in all of the layers on the Δn characteristics of the FACQW is also discussed. Even when Δn decreases with the increase of the occurrence probability of a layer being thicker or thinner by 1 ML, the FACQW still has a much larger Δn than conventional rectangular quantum wells do.

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Self-organized quantum dot (QD) structures formed in (GaP) n (InP) m short-period superlattices (SLs) grown on GaAs (N11) substrates by gas source MBE (molecular beam epitaxy) are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM)/scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). STM images show high density QD structures as bright areas. The dot size of these structures ranges from 15 nm to 25 nm with a dispersion of ±10% depending on the n and m of the SLs. In the STS measurement, the voltage width for dI/ dV=0 varies along the lateral direction on the sample surface. This voltage width variation corresponds to the lateral variation of the band-gap energy and of the tunneling probability by the lateral composition modulation.

The five-layer asymmetric coupled quantum well (FACQW) is a new potential-tailored quantum well for ultrafast and low-voltage optical modulators and switches. Almost linear and large electrorefractive index change can be obtained in the transparency wavelength regions. In the GaAs/AlGaAs FACQW, an abrupt change in refractive index change n due to an applied electric field F occurs at a certain electric field range, which results in an anomalous sharp dip of n versus F. The physical origin and the elimination of the dip are discussed in detail. The abrupt change of refractive index is caused by significant changes of the wavefunction overlap integrals (and exciton binding energies) of transitions between the ground states for an electron (e1) and a heavy hole (hh1), and transitions between e1 and the first excited state for a heavy hole (hh2). The overlap changes are mainly due to shifts of the wavefunction distribution of hh1 and hh2, respectively. The dip can be eliminated by changing the position or Al content of the AlGaAs barrier layer in the FACQW. In addition, the larger negative index change in a modified FACQW structure is demonstrated.KEYWORDS: five-layer asymmetric coupled quantum well (FACQW), quantum well, optical modulator, optical switch, quantum confined Stark effect, electrorefractive effect, electroabsorptive effect, binding energy, wavefunction overlap, dip of refractive index change 6329