Chemical evolution of InP/InGaAs/InGaAsP microstructures irradiated in air and deionized water with ArF and KrF lasers

► Greater concentrations of oxides observed in InP/InGaAs/InGaAsP QW microstructures irradiated in air than in those irradiated in DI water ► Rapid thermal annealing decomposes surface oxides and induces oxygen atoms diffusion toward the active region of the QW microstructures ► Excessive amount of oxygen in the laser irradiated and RTA samples is consistent with the enhanced intermixing and bandgap blue shifting ► Following the RTA step, the chemical composition of the excimer laser irradiated InP cap becomes indistinguishable from that of as-grown InP.