Laser Induced Disordering of Quantum Wells: In Situ Fabri- cation and Analysis of Nanometer Scale Structures in a Scanning Electron Microscope

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In this proposal funding to purchase an Argon laser and certain optical components is requested. This equipment will be used to study a technique for creating lateral modulation of the bandgap in GaAs quantum well material. One goal of this research is to generate nanometer scale structures in two and three dimensions (so-called quantum wire and quantum dot structures) that can be incorporated in semiconductor laser active layers. This method will also be useful in fabricating other optical components, such as waveguides on a similar small scale. In the technique an Argon laser is used to locally melt the sample on a micron scale. Crystal quality of the region is maintained. In a more selective version of this technique we would use a dye laser pumped by the Argon laser to "resonantly" melt the quantum well. By means of a nanometer scale masking techniques or small scale intermixing of the well the principal investigator hopes to observe phenomena associated with this increased lateral confinement of the electron gas. Processing will occur inside a scanning electron microscope already equipped with a cathodoluminescence system so that in stiu processing and diagnostic tests can be run simultaneously.