Two-dimensional heterostructures based on ZnO

The multiple quantum wells (MQW) Mg0.27Zn0.73O/ZnO have been grown by the pulsed laser deposition method with different well widths Lw. The interface roughness of quantum wells was inherited from the bottom one and did not exceed 1 nm. We observed the quantum confinement effect showing up in the blue shift of the exciton peak in the low temperature (8 K) photoluminescence and absorption spectra at well width reduction. The exciton binding energy of the two-dimensional structures Mg0.27Zn0.73O/ZnO was two times higher in comparison with the bulk ZnO. It has been established that Einstein’s characteristic temperature ΘE sharp increase with reduction of well width Lw up to Lw=2.6 nm. It has been revealed that the discontinuity ratio of conduction and valence bands in the heterostructure Mg0.27Zn0.73O/ZnO is 0.65/0.35. We demonstrated the abrupt increase in quantum efficiency at a reduction of the well width that allowed us to observe the optically excited stimulated emission in ZnO quantum wells with the excitation threshold of ∼210 kW/cm2.