Breakdown of Corner States and Carrier Localization by Monolayer Fluctuations in Radial Nanowire Quantum Wells

Maximilian M. Sonner, Anna Sitek, Lisa Janker, Daniel Rudolph, Daniel Ruhstorfer, Markus Döblinger, Andrei Manolescu, Gerhard Abstreiter, Jonathan J. Finley, Achim Wixforth, Gregor Koblmüller, Hubert J. Krenner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report a comprehensive study of the impact of the structural properties in radial GaAs-Al 0.3 Ga 0.7 As nanowire-quantum well heterostructures on the optical recombination dynamics and electrical transport properties, emphasizing particularly the role of the commonly observed variations of the quantum well thickness at different facets. Typical thickness fluctuations of the radial quantum well observed by transmission electron microscopy lead to pronounced localization. Our optical data exhibit clear spectral shifts and a multipeak structure of the emission for such asymmetric ring structures resulting from spatially separated, yet interconnected quantum well systems. Charge carrier dynamics induced by a surface acoustic wave are resolved and prove efficient carrier exchange on native, subnanosecond time scales within the heterostructure. Experimental findings are corroborated by theoretical modeling, which unambiguously show that electrons and holes localize on facets where the quantum well is the thickest and that even minute deviations of the perfect hexagonal shape strongly perturb the commonly assumed 6-fold symmetric ground state.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3336-3343
Number of pages8
JournalNano Letters
Volume19
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 8 May 2019

Keywords

  • electrical transport
  • fluctuations
  • heterostructures
  • nanowires
  • optical recombination dynamics
  • surface acoustic waves
  • transmission electron microscopy

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