Influence of alloy stability on the photoluminescence properties of GaAsN/GaAs quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy

We have investigated the influence of both the growth rate and the growth t emperature on the structural and optical properties of GaAs0.972N0.028/GaAs single quantum wells grown by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy. The res ults are analyzed in light of the surface phase diagram obtained from in si tu reflection high energy electron diffraction. We show that the best quali ty is achieved at the highest temperature below the onset of alloy decompos ition. The use of high growth rates allows one to significantly increase th e growth temperature. Our results demonstrate that it is the GaAsN alloy st ability which governs the sample properties. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.