Quantum Confinement in Semiconductors

ECa=1.42eV =
EA 2.16eV

By alloying AlAs with GaAs, it is possible to vary the band- CB

gap depending on the percentage, x of AlAs to make a layer
of AL Ga-As.
GaAc AGaAe
vacuum levels
aligned

conduction
EE Potential step formed at the junction of
GaAs and AlGaAs
band is electron affinity
V(x)

AE
EA CB

valence E A d

band
GaAs AIGaAs GaAs
Alignment of bands at the hetero-junction
AE 0.33eV, but AE 0.37eV
Predicting Potential barrier showing the barrier height
thusAE0.04eV the fraction of the band (AE) and barrier width (d).
AE=E-E =
xz that has
0.85
gone in
l
C.B. is Q= AE /AE,
V(x)

Ca=4.07eV Electron gun

CB
Shutter Substrate
AlaGao4s = 3.74eV AE
Knudsen cell
Heatod rotating
substrateholder
Molecular
AL
beamf
Screen for viewing
AsH,-9- RIICED
AIGaAs GaAs AIGaAs
Tcactor
manifold

exhaust
8ubstrate on AIGaAs/GaAs/AIGaAs quantum well
H,- H,- heated holder

bubblers CH,,A CHGa

(CH)Ga AstHs GaAsl+ 3CHa.
Confinement in 1-D Potential well/One Direction is quantized/QW Structure
In a quasi-two-dimensional (Q2D) quantum well, one direction (say z-direction), for example, is below
the De Broglie wavelength (Lz<Ar) while the other two Lxp maintain their bulky character. In this
Q2D quantum well, analog-type levels appear only in two dimensions while third dimension is
quantized.
Ga-Al,As

+v(R)\(R)= Ey(R)
211

GaAs
,-ki +4

In a layered structure potential energy depends only on the z-coordinate i.e. the direction of growth.

V(R)=VG) 2 V,Z)=Ey(x, 1,=)

O2 2
v 2 0 1

In other two directions(x & y) potential is zero and electron is free to move, and the wave functions would be plane
Waves.

yx2)eer
0 h2m, 0z e ()Ee e"au() OR
2m O 2m, ôy

h2 hk H 0(- Ee
u() OR
2m 2m, 2m 2

21m 2m 2m 0
The energies of the plane waves can be shifted to R. H. S.

21m Oz2
+V(Z) ) 2(z)
21 21y

Put &=E-- 211 -YIn above equation we get

4V(E) u()Eu()
2m 2
Which purely a 1-D Schirödinger Equation in z-direction, From equations XX

&Y, solution to the 3-D Problem is

Vh,hnx, y,z) =e*eu()&E,G-E

& 21m, 2m,
Assuming Infinite potential along 7-axes i.e. direction ofgrowth or L GaAAs

Vhay) =, 2 SIn e E,k 2m

2/m.L 2m
Three quantum numbers, k k and n are required to label the state as there are
three spatial dimensions.he expressions for wave functions and energy can be
Written
VEF.) 2 Sin E, K,)2m 2m 2
The expressions for wave functions and energy can be written more compactly by using 2-D vectors
for motion in x-y plane.

(a) | (b E(k) (c)

0.6
Ea

0.4
n3 Ek
n2.
0.2
n=2 E,k E
n= 1 E.(k)=E,+- 111

nm 10-1
1 0
klnm nE)l eV-1 nm?

(a) Plot of potential well V(2) with allowed energies(e) and wave functions u, (z)
(6) Depression relation, for a fixed value of n, this is simply E-k relation for a 2-D
I

electron gas with bottom shifted to each n, it is a parabola and called sub
For
band
() Step like density of stato of a quasi 2-D system. Thin curve is the parabolic density
of states for unconfined three dimensional electrons.
For given sub band the (Fixed n), the energy is that of a two dimensional
electron gas with bottom of the band at The density of state is therefore
that of a 2-D electron gas, a step function of height m*/t h, starting at &, .
Each sub band contribute a step so that total density of states N(E) look
likes a staircase with jump at the energies of the bands.