Time-resolved photoluminescence (PL), steady-state PL, and electro-luminescence (EL) techniuqes have been used to characterize the carrier relaxation processes and carrier escape mechanisms in a self-assembled AlInAs quantum dots (SAQD) p-i-n laser structure under reversed bias. At 100K, the PL decay time originating from the SAQD decreases with increasing reversed bias from approx450ps under flat band condition to approx150ps for biases of-4V. The data can be explained by a simple model based on electron recombination in the quantum dots (QDs) or escape out of the dots. The escape can occur by one of three possible routes: direct tunneling out of the distribution of electon excited state level, thermally assisted trnneling of ground state electrons through the upper electron excited states or thermionic emission to the wetting layer.
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