Demonstration of in-plane miniband formation in InAs/InAsSb ultrahigh-density quantum dots by analysis of temperature dependence of photoluminescence

Abstract Self-assembled InAs/InAsSb ultrahigh-density quantum dots (UHD QDs) were grown on GaAs(001) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. The QD density was 1 × 10 12 cm −2 , and an average separation distance between adjacent QD edges was less than 3 nm. The temperature dependence of photoluminescence (PL) minimum energy of UHD QDs was measured and was divided clearly into three temperature regions: (1) fitting to upper Varshni shift at 15–80 K, (2) decreasing from upper Varshni shift from 80–180 K and (3) re-fitting to lower Varshni shift at 180–290 K. The energy difference between upper and lower Varshni curves increased with increasing QD density. This anomalous temperature dependence of PL minimum energy was demonstrated by a simulation model of miniband formation due to electronically strong coupling of adjacent QDs, including the temperature dependence of the homogeneous broadening in the QD.