Hg sub (1-x) Cd sub x Te-Based Quantum Wells for the 3microns Wavelength Region.

HgCdTe multiple quantum wells with transition energies near 3microns have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy. We observe photoluminescence from 2K to room temperature, and the low temperature peak width is consistent with layer thickness fluctuations limited to one monolayer. High resolution TEM shows that there is some roughness at the interfaces, but that there is good layer thickness uniformity throughout the structure. The absorption spectra contain sharp, step-like features due to carrier confinement in the wells at energies that can be described by a square well model.