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Data are presented on the long-term (≳8 yr) degradation of AlxGa1−xAs-AlAs -GaAs quantum well heterostructure material because of the instability of underlying (internal) AlAs layers. Material containing thicker (>0.4 μm) AlAs ‘‘buried’’ layers (confining layers) is found to be much less stable than material containing thinner (≲200 Å) AlAs layers. Hydrolysis of the AlAs layers because of cleaved edges and pinholes in the cap layers leads to the deterioration.
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Dallesasse et al. (1990) studied this question.
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