Theory of Auger recombination in a quantum well heterostructure

✍ Scribed by C. Smith; R.A. Abram; M.G. Burt

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 427 KB
• Volume: 1
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0749-6036
• DOI: 10.1016/0749-6036(85)90105-3

✦ Synopsis

We oresent a calculation of the Auger recombination rate for the CHCC process in a model of a auantum well heterostructure.

The calculation differs frcm the bulk Auger calculations because carriers trapped in the quantum wells reside within sub-bands associated with the different bound states of the wells. The Auger recombination rate is calculated by considering all the possible intra and inter-sub-band carrier transitions. Processes in which the excited electron starts in a bound state of the well but makes a transition to an unbound state are also considered.

It has been customary to ignore the bound-unbound transitions but it is shown that they can make a significant contribution to the Auger rate. Simple physical descriptions are used to explain the relative importance of the processes. Numerical results are preserted for the Auger rate in 1.3 wn and 1.55 pm InGaAsP/InP quantum well lasers and the nlajor CHCC recombination processes are identified. In these alloya it is found that the quantum well and bulk Auger rates are very sirnils<-for the same carrier concentration.