Different carrier temperatures in the wells and in the barriers of InGaAs/GaAs single quantum well structures

Optical carrier heating by quasi-CW excitation has been studied in an InGaAs/GaAs single quantum well structure. At lower excitation intensities, until the quantum well is filled with the photoexcited carriers, the carrier temperature in the well is much higher than in the barriers. At higher excitation intensities, additional carrier heating in the barriers by the hot carriers located in the well is observed. The difference between carrier temperatures in the well and in the barriers is discussed comparing the carrier-LO phonon and carrier-carrier scattering times.