Site selective growth of Ge quantum dots on AFM-patterned Si substrates

By combining the atomic force microscope (AFM) local anodic oxidation and etching, a periodic array of nanodimples of 40 nm in diameter and 3.5 nm in depth has been made on a Si surface. Ge atoms deposited onto this patterned substrate by the MBE method nucleate preferentially in the dimples and form an array of nano Ge dots of about 50 nm in diameter and 10 nm in height.