Stress evolution during growth of bilayer self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots

We investigated the stress evolution during molecular-beam epitaxy of bilayer InAs/GaAs(001) quantum dot (QD) structures in real time and with sub-monolayer precision using an in-situ cantilever beam setup. During growth of the InAs at 470 °C a stress of 5.1 GPa develops in the wetting layer, in good agreement with the theoretical misfit stress. At a critical thickness of 1.5 monolayers the strain is relieved by the QD formation. In the case of InAs/GaAs bilayer structures, the second InAs layer grows identical to the first for GaAs spacer thicknesses exceeding ∼13 nm. For thinner spacers the critical thickness for the 2D/3D transition in the second layer decreases. The stress of the second InAs layer does not reach the value of the first, indicating that InAs QDs grow on partially strained areas due to the strain field of the previous InAs layer. PACS 68.35.-p; 68.35.Gy; 68.65.Hb; 81.07.Ta; 81.10.Aj     

InAs wetting layer evolution on GaAs(0 0 1)

The evolution of two-dimensional (2D) strained InAs wetting layers on GaAs(0 0 1), grown at different temperatures by molecular beam epitaxy, was studied by in situ high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy. At low growth temperature (400 °C), the substrate exhibits a well-defined GaAs(0 0 1)-c(4 × 4) structure. For a disorientation of 0.7°, InAs grows in the step-flow mode and forms an unalloyed wetting layer mainly along steps, but also in part on the terrace. The wetting layer displays some local c(4 × 6) reconstruction, for which a model is proposed. 1.2 monolayer (ML) InAs deposition induces the formation of 3D islands. At a higher temperature (460 °C), the wetting layer is obviously alloyed even at low InAs coverage. The critical thickness of the wetting layer for the 2D-to-3D transition is shifted to 1.50 ML in this case presumably since the strain is reduced by alloying.     

Excitation transfer in novel self-organized quantum dot structures

We report on studies of excitation transfer processes in vertically self-organized pairs of unequal-sized quantum dots (QDs), created in InAs/GaAs bilayers having differing InAs deposition amounts in the first (seed) and subsequent layer. The former and latter enable independent control, respectively, of the density and the size distribution of the second layer QDs. This approach allows us to enhance the average volume and improve the uniformity of InAs QDs, resulting in low-temperature photoluminescence at 1.028 eV with a linewidth of 25 meV for 1.74 ML (seed)/3.00 ML InAs stacking. The optical properties of the formed pairs of unequal-sized QDs with clearly discernible ground-state transition energy depend on the spacer thickness and composition. Photoluminescence results provide evidence for nonresonant energy transfer from the smaller QDs in the seed layer to the larger QDs in the second layer in such asymmetric QD pairs. Transfer times down to 20 ps (36 ML GaAs spacer) are estimated, depending exponentially on the GaAs spacer thickness.     

Thermal activation and thermal transfer of localized excitons in InAs self-organized quantum dots

We have investigated the temperature dependence of photoluminescence (PL) properties of a number of InAs/GaAs heterostructures with InAs layer thickness ranging from 0.5 monolayer (ML) to 3 ML. The temperature dependence of the InAs exciton energy and linewidth was found to display a significant difference when the InAs layer thickness is smaller or larger than the critical thickness around 1.7 ML, indicating spontaneous formation of quantum dots (QDs). A model, involving exciton recombination and thermal activation and transfer, is proposed to explain the experimental data. In the PL thermal quenching study, the measured thermal activation energies of different samples demonstrate that the InAs wetting layer may act as a barrier for thermionic emission of carriers in high quality InAs multilayers, while in InAs monolayers and submonolayers the carriers are required to overcome the GaAs barrier to thermally escape from the localized states.     

Surface mobility difference between Si and Ge and its effect on growth of SiGe alloy films and islands

Based on first-principles calculations of surface diffusion barriers, we show that on a compressive Ge(001) surface the diffusivity of Ge is 10(2)-10(3) times higher than that of Si in the temperature range of 300 to 900 K, while on a tensile surface, the two diffusivities are comparable. Consequently, the growth of a compressive SiGe film is rather different from that of a tensile film. The diffusion disparity between Si and Ge is also greatly enhanced on the strained Ge islands compared to that on the Ge wetting layer on Si(001), explaining the experimental observation of Si enrichment in the wetting layer relative to that in the islands.     

Broadband light emitting from multilayer-stacked InAs/GaAs quantum dots

We report the effect of the GaAs spacer layer thickness on the photoluminescence(PL) spectral bandwidth of InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots(QDs).A PL spectral bandwidth of 158 nm is achieved with a five-layer stack of InAs QDs which has a 11-nm thick GaAs spacer layer.We investigate the optical and the structural properties of the multilayer-stacked InAs/GaAs QDs with different GaAs spacer layer thicknesses.The results show that the spacer thickness is a key parameter affecting the multi-stacked InAs/GaAs QDs for wide-spectrum emission.     

离子束溅射Ge量子点的应变调制生长

采用离子束溅射技术制备了单层和双层Ge量子点, 通过原子力显微镜对比了不同Si隔离层厚度和不同掩埋量子点密度情况下表层量子点的尺寸和形貌差异, 系统研究了掩埋Ge量子点产生的应变对表层量子点的浸润层及形核的影响, 并用埋置应变模型对其进行解释. 实验结果表明, 覆盖Ge量子点的Si隔离层中分布着的应变场, 导致表层量子点浸润层厚度的降低, 从而增大点的体积; 应变强度随隔离层厚度的减小而增加, 造成表层量子点形状和尺寸的变化; 此外, 应变还调控了表层量子点的空间分布. 关键词： Ge量子点 埋层应变 离子束溅射     

Self-organized formation of shell-like InAs/GaAs quantum dot ensembles

Formation of a multimodal quantum dot (QD) ensemble by strained layer epitaxy of InAs on GaAs near the critical value for the onset of the 2D-3D transition is studied. Reflection anisotropy spectroscopy is employed to confirm that a smooth surface is maintained during strained layer growth prior to QD formation. Instantaneous capping after deposition leads to InAs quantum wells with some thickness flucuations. Multimodal QD InAs ensembles form after an at least short growth interruption prior to cap layer deposition. The QDs consist of pure InAs with heights varying in steps of complete InAs monolayers. Related exciton energies indicate a simultaneous increase of both height and lateral extension, i.e. a shell-like increase of sizes. The formation of the multimodal QD ensemble is described by a kinetic approach. A growth scenario is presented where QDs having initially shorter base length stop vertical growth at a smaller height, accounting for the experimentally observed shell-like sub-ensemble structure.     

Finite element analysis of stress and strain distributions in InAs/GaAs quantum dots

In this paper, we perform systematic calculations of the stress and strain distributions in InAs/GaAs truncated pyramidal quantum dots (QDs) with different wetting layer (WL) thickness, using the finite element method (FEM). The stresses and strains are concentrated at the boundaries of the WL and QDs, are reduced gradually from the boundaries to the interior, and tend to a uniform state for the positions away from the boundaries. The maximal strain energy density occurs at the vicinity of the interface between the WL and the substrate. The stresses, strains and released strain energy are reduced gradually with increasing WL thickness. The above results show that a critical WL thickness may exist, and the stress and strain distributions can make the growth of QDs a growth of strained three-dimensional island when the WL thickness is above the critical value, and FEM can be applied to investigate such nanosystems, QDs, and the relevant results are supported by the experiments.     

Ab initio-based approach to the reconstruction on InAs(111)A wetting layer grown on GaAs substrate

The surface reconstructions on InAs(111)A wetting layer grown on GaAs substrate are investigated by our ab initio-based approach incorporating the chemical potentials of In atom and As molecules in the vapor phase as functions of temperature and beam equivalent pressure. The calculated results imply that the most stable surface structure of InAs with/without lattice constraint from the substrate is the In-vacancy surface under conventional growth conditions. The In-vacancy surface is dramatically stabilized on the wetting layer, since the atoms around the In-vacancy are easily displaced to effectively lower the strain energy due to the lattice constraint from the GaAs substrate. Distinctive feature between InAs(111)A surfaces with and without lattice constraint is found in the stable adsorption sites. In adatoms favor the In-vacancy site on the InAs without lattice constraint in contrast to the interstitial sites on the InAs wetting layer. These results suggest that the surface structure and adsorption-desorption behavior on the wetting layer are crucial for investigating the growth processes of nanostructures such as quantum dots and stacking fault tetrahedrons.     

Influence of a predeposited Si1−x Gex layer on the growth of self-assembled SiGe/Si(001) islands

The growth of self-assembled Ge(Si) islands on a strained Si_1?xGe_x layer (0% < x < 20%) is studied. The size and the surface density of islands are found to increase with Ge content in the Si_1?xGe_x layer. The increased surface density is related to augmentation of the surface roughness after deposition of the SiGe layer. The enlargement of islands is accounted for by the decrease of the wetting layer in thickness due to the additional elastic energy accumulated in the SiGe layer and to enhanced Si diffusion from the Si_1?xGe_x layer into the islands. The increase in the fraction of the surface occupied by islands leads to a greater order in the island arrangement.     

Si1-xGex/Si异质结构中热应力对临界厚度的影响

系统分析了Si_1-xGe_x/Si外延生长中热应力对外延生长的影响．假设Si Ge的线膨胀系数是随Ge的组分线性变化的，由此计算出热应变和应变能密度．根据能量平衡原理，当失配应变能密度加热应变能密度等于位错能密度时，外延层达到临界厚度，在People的基础上得出了改进的临界厚度计算公式．理论计算值与People的实验值更相近． 关键词：     

半导体异质结界面能带排列的实验研究

本文综述半导体异质结界面能带排列的实验研究情况。介绍了九种目前已成功用于这方面研究的实验方法,这包括C—V测试、光致发光谱测量和光电子能谱测量,并讨论了Al_xGa_(-x)As/GaAs、InAs/GaSb、Ge/Si和Ge/GaAs等几种典型系统的一些研究结果。     

脉冲激光原位辐照对InAs/GaAs(001)量子点生长的影响

在InAs/GaAs(001)量子点生长过程中, 当InAs沉积量为0.9 ML时, 利用紫外纳秒脉冲激光辐照浸润层表面, 由于高温下In原子的不稳定性, 激光诱导的原子脱附效应被放大, 样品表面出现了原子层移除和纳米孔. 原子力显微镜测试表明纳米孔呈现以[110]方向为长轴(尺寸: 20-50 nm)、[110]方向为短轴(尺寸: 15-40 nm)的表面椭圆开口形状, 孔的深度为0.5-3 nm. 纳米孔的密度与脉冲激光的能量密度正相关. 脉冲激光的辐照对量子点生长产生了显著的影响: 一方面由于纳米孔的表面自由能低, 沉积的InAs优先迁移到孔内, 纳米孔成为量子点优先成核的位置; 另一方面, 孔外的区域因为In原子的脱附, 量子点的成核被抑制. 由于带有纳米孔的浸润层表面具有类似于传统微纳加工技术制备的图形衬底对量子点选择性生长的功能, 该研究为量子点的可控生长提供了一种新的思路.     

Island dissolution during capping layer growth interruption

A possible scenario for the dissolution of partially capped quantum dots was investigated. This model is based on the consideration of the total free energy being a sum of elastic and surface energies as the quantum-dot material redistributes itself as a second wetting layer on top of the capping layer. Quantitative results were obtained for the case of InAs/GaAs quantum dots that are partially capped by GaAs. We compare our results with supporting experimental evidence. Received: 29 January 2001 / Accepted: 30 January 2001 / Published online: 3 April 2001     

Self-assembly of InAs quantum dots on GaAs(001)by molecular beam epitaxy

Currently, the nature of self-assembly of three-dimensional epitaxial islands or quantum dots (QDs) in a lattice-mismatched heteroepitaxial growth system, such as InAs/GaAs(001) and Ge/Si(001) as fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), is still puzzling. The purpose of this article is to discuss how the self-assembly of InAs QDs in MBE InAs/GaAs(001) should be properly understood in atomic scale. First, the conventional kinetic theories that have traditionally been used to interpret QD self-assembly in heteroepitaxial growth with a significant lattice mismatch are reviewed briefly by examining the literature of the past two decades. Second, based on their own experimental data, the authors point out that InAs QD self-assembly can proceed in distinctly different kinetic ways depending on the growth conditions and so cannot be framed within a universal kinetic theory, and, furthermore, that the process may be transient, or the time required for a QD to grow to maturity may be significantly short, which is obviously inconsistent with conventional kinetic theories. Third, the authors point out that, in all of these conventional theories, two well-established experimental observations have been overlooked: i) A large number of “floating” indium atoms are present on the growing surface in MBE InAs/GaAs(001); ii) an elastically strained InAs film on the GaAs(001) substrate should be mechanically unstable. These two well-established experimental facts may be highly relevant and should be taken into account in interpreting InAs QD formation. Finally, the authors speculate that the formation of an InAs QD is more likely to be a collective event involving a large number of both indium and arsenic atoms simultaneously or, alternatively, a morphological/structural transformation in which a single atomic InAs sheet is transformed into a three-dimensional InAs island, accompanied by the rehybridization from the sp²-bonded to sp³- bonded atomic configuration of both indium and arsenic elements in the heteroepitaxial growth system.     

Effect of deposition period on structural and optical properties of InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots formed by InAs/GaAs short-period superlattices

Structural and optical properties of In_0.5Ga_0.5As/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) grown at 510 °C by atomic layer molecular beam epitaxy technique are studied as a function of n repeated deposition of 1-ML-thick InAs and 1-ML-thick GaAs. Cross-sectional images reveal that the QDs are formed by single large QDs rather than closely stacked InAs QDs and their shape is trapezoidal. In the image, existence of wetting layers is not clear. In 300 K-photoluminescence (PL) spectra of InGaAs QDs (n=5), 4 peaks are resolved. Origin of each peak transition is discussed. Finally, it was found that the PL linewidths of atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) QDs were weakly sensitive to cryostat temperatures (16–300 K). This is attributed to the nature of ALE QDs; higher uniformity and weaker wetting effect compared to SK QDs.     

Control of unpolarized emission in closely stacked InAs quantum dot structure

In this work, we studied the effect of some growth parameters on the polarization behavior of InAs/GaAs closely stacked quantum dot (CSQDs). In particular, we focused on the surface reconstruction time of GaAs spacer, its thickness and the number of QD layers. We found that the most effective parameter to enhance the TM/TE intensity ratio is the surface reconstruction time of the GaAs spacer before the subsequent QD deposition. By varying this parameter between 20 s and 120 s, a TM/TE ratio as high as 0.86 has been achieved. A further fine tuning of GaAs spacer thickness and QD layer number increased this ratio up to a value of 0.92 in structures containing only 3 QD layers.     

GaAs间隔层厚度对InAs/GaAs量子点分子光学性质的影响

采用光致荧光发射谱(PL)和时间分辨荧光发射谱(TRPL)研究了GaAs间隔层厚度对自组装生长的双层InAs/GaAs量子点分子光学性质的影响.首先,测量低温下改变激发强度的PL谱,底层量子点和顶层量子点的PL强度比值随激发强度发生变化,表明两层量子点之间的耦合作用和层间载流子的转移随着间隔层厚度变大而变弱.接着测量改变温度的PL谱,量子点荧光光谱峰值位置(Emax)、半峰全宽及积分强度随温度发生变化,表明GaAs间隔层厚度直接影响到量子点内载流子的动力学过程和量子点发光的热淬灭过程.最后,TRPL测量发现60mL比40mL间隔层厚度样品的载流子隧穿时间有明显延长.     

Extremely Low Density InAs Quantum Dots with No Wetting Layer

Extremely low density InAs quantum dots （QDs） are grown by molecular beam droplet epitaxy. The gallium deposition amount is optimized to saturate exactly the excess arsenic atoms present on the GaAs substrate surface during growth, and low density InAs/GaAs QDs （4× 10^6 cm^-2） are formed by depositing 0.65 monolayers （MLs） of indium. This is much less than the critical deposition thickness （1.7 ML）, which is necessary to form InAs/GaAs QDs with the conventional Stranski-Krastanov growth mode. The narrow photoluminescence linewidth of about 24 meV is insensitive to cryostat temperatures from IO K to 250K. All measurements indicate that there is no wetting layer connecting the QDs.