Calculation of the surface characteristics and pressures of InAs quantum dots in a GaAs matrix

A theoretical model for calculating the energy characteristics of surfaces of InAs quantum dots in a GaAs(100) matrix is described. The model is based on notions of nonequilibrium thermodynamics and surface physics. The results of calculating the magnitudes of the surface energy and adhesion physical quantities as well as pressures in the vicinity of the edges of InAs quantum dots in a GaAs(100) matrix are presented. The causes of bending of the profile of the lower part of the quantum dot are presented using the Young relationship. These results can be used to asses the stress-relaxation mechanisms during the course of the selforganization of InAs quantum dots in a GaAs(100) matrix.     

Coupling of electron states in the InAs/GaAs quantum dot molecule

Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) is used to study electron emission from the states in the system of vertically correlated InAs quantum dots in the p-n InAs/GaAs heterostructures, in relation to the thickness of the GaAs spacer between the two layers of InAs quantum dots and to the reverse-bias voltage. It is established that, with the 100 Å GaAs spacer, the InAs/GaAs heterostructure manifests itself as a system of uncoupled quantum dots. The DLTS spectra of such structures exhibit two peaks that are defined by the ground state and the excited state of an individual quantum dot, with energy levels slightly shifted (by 1–2 eV), due to the Stark effect. For the InAs/GaAs heterostructure with two layers of InAs quantum dots separated by the 40 Å GaAs spacer, it is found that the quantum dots are in the molecule-type phase. Hybridization of the electron states of two closely located quantum dots results in the splitting of the levels into bonding and antibonding levels corresponding to the electron ground states and excited states of the 1s ⁺, 1s ^?, 2p ⁺, 2p ^?, and 3d ⁺ types. These states manifest themselves as five peaks in the DLTS spectra. For these quantum states, a large Stark shift of energy levels (10–40 meV) and crossing of the dependences of the energy on the electric field are observed. The structures with vertically correlated quantum dots are grown by molecular beam epitaxy, with self-assembling effects.     

Electronic Raman scattering from holes in InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots

A report is presented on the observation of hole excitations in unintentionally p-doped self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots by resonant Raman spectroscopy. The small difference in the valence intraband energy values obtained by Raman and PL spectra is explained by the Coulomb interaction between electrons and holes. However, the reason why the maximum resonance occurs at a slightly higher energy than that of the hole excitation seen in Raman spectra is unknown.     

Effect of local structural defects on the precipitation of as in the vicinity of InAs quantum dots in a GaAs matrix

Electron-microscopy studies of GaAs structures grown by the method of molecular-beam epitaxy and containing arrays of semiconductor InAs quantum dots and metallic As quantum dots are performed. An array of InAs quantum dots is formed using the Stranski-Krastanow mechanism and consists of five layers of vertically conjugated quantum dots divided by a 5-nm-thick GaAs spacer layer. The array of As quantum dots is formed in an As-enriched GaAs layer grown at a low temperature above an array of InAs quantum dots using postgrowth annealing at temperatures of 400–600°C for 15 min. It is found that, during the course of structure growth near the InAs quantum dots, misfit defects are formed; these defects are represented by 60° or edge dislocations located in the heterointerface plane of the semiconductor quantum dots and penetrating to the surface through a layer of “low-temperature” GaAs. The presence of such structural defects leads to the formation of As quantum dots in the vicinity of the middle of the InAs conjugated quantum dots beyond the layer of “low-temperature” GaAs.     

Localization of holes in an InAs/GaAs quantum-dot molecule

Deep-level transient spectroscopy is used to study the emission of holes from the states of a vertically coupled system of InAs quantum dots in p-n InAs/GaAs heterostructures. This emission was considered in relation to the thickness of a GaAs interlayer between two layers of InAs quantum dots and to the reversebias voltage U_r. It is established that hole localization at one of the quantum dots is observed for a quantum-dot molecule composed of two vertically coupled self-organized quantum dots in an InAS/GaAs heterostructure that has a 20-Å-thick or 40-Å-thick GaAs interlayer between two layers of InAs quantum dots. For a thickness of the GaAs interlayer equal to 100 Å, it is found that the two layers of quantum dots are incompletely coupled, which results in a redistribution of the hole localization between the upper and lower quantum dots as the voltage U_r applied to the structure is varied. The studied structures with vertically coupled quantum dots were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy using self-organization effects.     

Electron microscopy of GaAs-based structures with InAs and As quantum dots separated by an AlAs barrier

Electron microscopy studies of GaAs-based structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy and containing arrays of semiconductor InAs quantum dots and metal As quantum dots are performed. The array of InAs quantum dots is formed by the Stranski-Krastanov mechanism and consists of vertically coupled pairs of quantum dots separated by a GaAs spacer 10 nm thick. To separate the arrays of semiconductor and metal quantum dots and to prevent diffusion-induced mixing, the array of InAs quantum dots is overgrown with an AlAs barrier layer 5 or 10 nm thick, after which a GaAs layer is grown at a comparatively low temperature (180°C). The array of As quantum dots is formed in an As-enriched layer of the low-temperature GaAs by means of post-growth annealing at 400–760°C for 15 min. It is established that the AlAs barrier layer has a surface profile corresponding to that of a subbarrier layer with InAs quantum dots. The presence of such a profile causes the formation of V-shaped structural defects upon subsequent overgrowth with the GaAs layer. Besides, it was obtained that AlAs layer is thinned over the InAs quantum dots tops. It is shown that the AlAs barrier layer in the regions between the InAs quantum dots effectively prevents the starting diffusion of excess As at annealing temperatures up to 600°C. However, the concentration of mechanical stresses and the reduced thickness of the AlAs barrier layer near the tops of the InAs quantum dots lead to local barrier breakthroughs and the diffusion of As quantum dots into the region of coupled pairs of InAs quantum dots at higher annealing temperatures.     

GaAs structures with InAs and As quantum dots produced in a single molecular beam epitaxy process

Epitaxial GaAs layers containing InAs semiconductor quantum dots and As metal quantum dots are grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The InAs quantum dots are formed by the Stranskii-Krastanow mechanism, whereas the As quantum dots are self-assembled in the GaAs layer grown at low temperature with a large As excess. The microstructure of the samples is studied by transmission electron microscopy. It is established that the As metal quantum dots formed in the immediate vicinity of the InAs semiconductor quantum dots are larger in size than the As quantum dots formed far from the InAs quantum dots. This is apparently due to the effect of strain fields of the InAs quantum dots upon the self-assembling of As quantum dots. Another phenomenon apparently associated with local strains around the InAs quantum dots is the formation of V-like defects (stacking faults) during the overgrowth of the InAs quantum dots with the GaAs layer by low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy. Such defects have a profound effect on the self-assembling of As quantum dots. Specifically, on high-temperature annealing needed for the formation of large-sized As quantum dots by Ostwald ripening, the V-like defects bring about the dissolution of the As quantum dots in the vicinity of the defects. In this case, excess arsenic most probably diffuses towards the open surface of the sample via the channels of accelerated diffusion in the planes of stacking faults.     

Photoluminescence of InAs quantum dots coupled to a two-dimensional electron gas

Self-assembled InAs quantum dots have been extensively studied by a variety of experimental techniques. Works have been done on the transport properties of the InAs dots located near a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). However, there have been few reports on the optical properties of the InAs dots located closely to 2DEG. In this work, InAs dots samples with 2DEG and without 2DEG growth by solid source molecular beam epitaxy were studied using photoluminescence measurements. Different photoluminescence behaviors between the InAs dots and the InAs dots near the 2DEG were observed. It was found that the emission efficiency of the InAs dots was significantly enhanced by the existence of the nearby 2DEG and the thermal activation energy of the InAs dots was decreased by the 2DEG. It was speculated that the 2DEG at the AlGaAs/GaAs interface worked as an electron reservoir to the InAs dots. As a result, the conduction band between the dots and 2DEG is lowered, and thus the thermal activation energy of PL is lowered. It was concluded that in this way the optical properties of the InAs quantum dots could be tailored for optical applications.     

Molecular beam epitaxy of AlGaAs/Zn(Mn)Se hybrid nanostructures with InAs/AlGaAs quantum dots near the heterovalent interface

Features of the growth of InAs quantum dots in an Al_0.35Ga_0.65As matrix by molecular beam epitaxy at different substrate temperatures, deposition rates, and amounts of deposited InAs are studied. The optimum conditions for growing an array of low-density (≤2 × 10¹⁰ cm^?2) small (height of no more than 4 nm) self-organized quantum dots are determined. The possibility of the formation of optically active InAs quantum dots emitting in the energy range 1.3–1.4 eV at a distance of no more than 10 nm from the coherent heterovalent GaAs/ZnSe interface is demonstrated. It is established that inserting an optically inactive 5-nm GaAs quantum well resonantly coupled with InAs quantum dots into the upper AlGaAs barrier layer enhances the photoluminescence efficiency of the quantum-dot array in hybrid heterostructures.     

InAs自组织生长量子点的空穴俘获势垒

成功地用深能级瞬态谱（ＤＬＩＳ）研究了ｐ 型ＩｎＡｓ 自组织生长的量子点的电学性质,测得２．５ 原子层ＩｎＡｓ 量子点空穴基态能级在ＧａＡｓ 价带底上约０．０９ｅＶ,该量子点在荷电状态发生变化时需要克服一个势垒,俘获势垒高度为０．２６ｅＶ．本工作首次利用ＤＬＴＳ测定了量子点空穴的基态能级和俘获势垒,相信对增加量子点性质的理解会起到有益的帮助     

InAs自组织生长量子点的电子俘获势垒

成功地用深能级瞬态谱（ＤＬＴＳ）研究了ＩｎＡｓ自组织生长的量子点电学性质，获得２．５原子层ＩｎＡｓ量子点电子基态能级在ＧａＡｓ导带底下约０．１３ｅＶ，该量子点在荷电状态发生变化时伴随有晶格弛豫，对应俘获势垒为０．３２ｅＶ．本工作也证明可以把量子点类比深中心进行研究．     

Effect of Bi isovalent dopants on the formation of homogeneous coherently strained InAs quantum dots in GaAs matrices

The distribution of hydrostatic strains in Bi³⁺-doped InAs quantum dots embedded in a GaAs matrix are calculated in the context of the deformation-potential model. The dependences of strains in the material of spherical InAs quantum dots with substitutional (Bi → As) and interstitial (Bi) impurities on the quantum-dot size are derived. The qualitative correlation of the model with the experiment is discussed. The data on the effect of doping on the morphology of self-assembled InAs:Bi quantum dots in a GaAs matrix are obtained.     

Effect of a low-temperature-grown GaAs layer on InAs quantum-dot photoluminescence

The photoluminescence of InAs semiconductor quantum dots overgrown by GaAs in the low-temperature mode (LT-GaAs) using various spacer layers or without them is studied. Spacer layers are thin GaAs or AlAs layers grown at temperatures normal for molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). Direct overgrowth leads to photoluminescence disappearance. When using a thin GaAs spacer layer, the photoluminescence from InAs quantum dots is partially recovered; however, its intensity appears lower by two orders of magnitude than in the reference sample in which the quantum-dot array is overgrown at normal temperature. The use of wider-gap AlAs as a spacer-layer material leads to the enhancement of photoluminescence from InAs quantum dots, but it is still more than ten times lower than that of reference-sample emission. A model taking into account carrier generation by light, diffusion and tunneling from quantum dots to the LT-GaAs layer is constructed.     

Modified fermi-level pinning of the (100) GaAs surface through InAs quantum dots in different stages of overgrowth

The presence of InAs quantum dots on a {100} GaAs surface results in a pronounced increase of the Fermi level pinning energy. Using room-temperature photo-reflectance measurements combined with atomic force microscopy, we find that the presence of the quantum dots results in the Fermi level being pinned approximately ∼250 meV deeper in the bandgap, an effect which is reversed by either removing or overgrowing the dots. Both overgrowth and complete etching of quantum dots results in the disappearance of the polar InAs facets; we explain the change in Fermi level in terms of such facets. We also discuss the phase delay for the InAs related feature of the photoreflectance experiment as a detrapping of photo-generated electron-hole pairs in the dots.     

自组织量子点的优化生长

在不同生长条件下,生长低组分InGaAs/GaAs自组织量子点并且使用接触式AFM进行测量.通过对生长条件的优化,得到高密度、高均匀性的量子点MBE生长条件,这对于自组织量子点在器件方面的应用,比如量子点红外探测器和量子点激光器,是非常重要的.同时,还与优化的InAs/GaAs生长条件进行了比较.     

Formation of dislocation defects in the process of burying of InAs quantum dots into GaAs

Evidence given by electron microscopy of dislocation relaxation of stresses near InAs quantum dots buried into GaAs is presented. It was found that dislocation defects not emerging to the film surface are formed in some buried quantum dots. This suggests that stress relaxation occurs in the buried state of the quantum dot, rather than at the stage of the formation and growth of an InAs island on the GaAs surface. Models of internal dislocation relaxation of buried quantum dots are presented.     

利用大周期光子晶体结构增强InAs/GaAs量子点的激发态发光

在该研究中,通过激光全息和湿法腐蚀的方法在InAs/GaAs量子点材料上制备光子晶体,研究了由激光二极管激发制备了光子晶体的InAs / GaAs量子点材料的光致发光光谱.发现具有光子晶体的量子点材料的光谱显示出多峰结构,光子晶体对短波长部分的发光增强和调制比对长波长部分的增强和调制更明显.InAs / GaAs量子点的光致发光光谱通过刻蚀形成的光子晶体结构得到了调控,并且量子点的激发态发光得到了明显增强.     

Comparative Analysis of the Optical and Physical Properties of InAs and In0.8Ga0.2As Quantum Dots and Solar Cells Based on them

Semiconductors - InAs and In0.8Ga0.2As quantum dots in a GaAs matrix as well as GaAs solar cells with quantum dots of both types in the i-region are obtained by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy. As...     

Emission of electrons from the ground and first excited states of self-organized InAs/GaAs quantum dot structures

Capacitance- and conductance-voltage studies have been carried out on Schottky barrier structures containing a sheet of self-organized InAs quantum dots. The dots are formed in GaAs n-type matrices after the deposition of four monolayers of InAs. Quasi-static analysis of capacitance-voltage measurements indicates that there are at least two filled electron levels in the quantum dots, located 60 and 140 meV below the GaAs conduction band edge. The conductance of the structure depends on the balance between measurement frequency and the thermionic emission rate of carriers from the quantum dots. An investigation of the temperature-dependent conductance at different frequencies as a function of the reverse bias allows us to study separately the electron emission rates from the ground and first excited levels in the quantum dots. We estimate that the electron escape times from both levels of the quantum dots become comparable at room temperature and equal to about 100 ps.     

GaAs图形衬底上InAs量子点生长停顿的动力学蒙特卡罗模拟

采用动力学蒙特卡罗模拟方法对GaAs图形衬底上自组织生长InAs量子点的停顿过程进行了研究．用衬底束缚能的表面分布模拟衬底图形，考察生长之后的停顿时间对量子点形成的影响．结果表明，合适的停顿时间使图形衬底上的量子点分布更趋规则化，对量子点的定位生长有积极的影响．