Impact of an air barrier on the electron states of etch-released quantum heterostructures

摘要

Combining III-V materials with cantilevers facilitates the integration of photonic and mechanical elements to produce devices with novel properties. Optical cavities are a fundamental component of many photonic systems. Given the similarity of electromagnetic waves to the wavefunction of electrons, a quantum well is a one dimensional resonant cavity for electrons. The properties of the well interfaces affect the energy of the bound electron states. Replacing the semiconductor-semiconductor interface (buried quantum well) on one side of the well with a semiconductor-air interface (exposed quantum well) therefore perturbs the electronic configuration of the well.