Growth of InAs Quantum Dots on GaAs (511)A Substrates: The Competition between Thermal Dynamics and Kinetics

The growth process of InAs quantum dots grown on GaAs (511)A substrates has been studied by atomic force microscopy. According to the atomic force microscopy studies for quantum dots grown with varying InAs coverage, a noncoherent nucleation of quantum dots is observed. Moreover, due to the long migration length of In atoms, the Ostwald ripening process is aggravated, resulting in the bad uniformity of InAs quantum dots on GaAs (511)A. In order to improve the uniformity of nucleation, the growth rate is increased. By studying the effects of increased growth rates on the growth of InAs quantum dots, it is found that the uniformity of InAs quantum dots is greatly improved as the growth rates increase to 0.14 ML s^?1. However, as the growth rates increase further, the uniformity of InAs quantum dots becomes dual‐mode, which can be attributed to the competition between Ostwald ripening and strain relaxation processes. The results in this work provide insights regarding the competition between thermal dynamical barriers and the growth kinetics in the growth of InAs quantum dots, and give guidance to improve the size uniformity of InAs quantum dots on (N11)A substrates.     

Optical properties of self-assembled InAs quantum dots grown on GaAs(211)A substrate

We have investigated the photoluminescence (PL) and growth properties of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QD) grown on (211)A-oriented GaAs substrate in a low coverage region. At the onset of the QD formation in the Stranski–Krastanov mode, structures of QD on (211)A substrate were quite different from those on (100) substrate. The uniformity of size distribution was better and the density was higher than that grown on (100) substrate. We found a PL peak at 1.32 eV when the InAs coverage was 1.57 ML. Another PL peak gradually appeared at 1.37–1.42 eV with increasing InAs coverage. The peaks at 1.32 and 1.37–1.42 eV were attributed to the emission from a defect-related QD and a typical QD, respectively. When the InAs coverage exceeded 1.89 ML, the QD density decreased with increasing InAs coverage, due to the coalescence of QD. The samples studied here showed PL spectra having a larger intensity and narrower full width at half-maximum compared with that grown on (100) substrate.     

Formation and Characterization of 1.5-Monolayer Self-Assembled InAs/GaAs Quantum Dots Using Postgrowth Annealing

In this paper, we report that low-density InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) can be formed by postgrowth annealing the samples with 1.5-monolayer (ML) InAs coverage, which is thinner than the critical layer thickness for the Stranski-Krastanov growth. The annealing procedure was performed immediately after the deposition of the InAs layer. The effects of annealing time and annealing temperature on the dot density, dot size, and optical characteristics of the QDs were investigated. The optimum annealing conditions to obtain low-density QDs are longer than 60 s and higher than 500degC . Meanwhile, no luminescence can be observed for the wetting-layer, which may suggest that the postgrowth annealing will make the wetting layer thinner and thus reduce the effects of wetting layer on carrier relaxation and recombination. On the other hand, we observe that a decrease of the PL intensity at the annealing conditions of 60 s and 515degC , which is possibly due to the increasing surface dislocations resulted from the In adatom desorption at higher annealing temperature.     

Surface morphology and photoluminescence of InAs quantum dots grown on [11~0]-oriented streaked islands under ultra-low V/III ratio

The influences of the low V/III ratio on the surface morphologies and temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectrum of InAs-GaAs quantum dots (QDs) prepared by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy are investigated. Due to the accumulation of In adatoms at the multiatomic step edge on [001] 2/sup 0/ off toward an [111] n-type GaAs substrate, InAs island growth with /spl sim/1 ML coverage takes place prior to the InAs QD formation. With increasing InAs coverage, self-assembled InAs QDs are observed near the InAs islands, which is attributed to the recapture of desorbed In atoms nucleating with supplied As atoms on the edge along [11~0]-orientation of the GaAs substrate.     

Self-assembled growth of GaAs anti quantum dots in InAs matrix by migration enhanced molecular beam epitaxy

Self-assembled GaAs anti quantum dots (AQDs) were grown in an InAs matrix via migration enhanced molecular beam epitaxy. The transmission electron microscopy image showed that the 2D to 3D transition thickness is below 1.5 monolayers (MLs) of GaAs coverage. The average diameter and height of the GaAs AQDs for 1.5 ML GaAs coverage taken from the atomic force microscopy image were approximately 29.0 nm and 1.4 nm, respectively. The density was approximately 6.0 x 10(10) cm(-2). The size of the AQDs was enlarged in the InAs matrix compared with that on the surface. These results indicate that the GaAs AQDs in the InAs matrix under tensile strain can be effectively formed with the assistance of the migration enhanced epitaxy method.     

Comparison of luminescence properties of bilayer and multilayer InAs/GaAs quantum dots

Coupled InAs/GaAs quantum dots have generated an interest for their longer emission wavelength and narrower line-width. However, a consensus has not been reached on the parameters of growth required to achieve a desired effect from coupling due to contradictory reports of shorter emission wavelengths. In this paper, we seek to compare the luminescence properties of bilayer quantum dots (BQDs) with those of multilayer quantum dots (MQDs), grown at a very low deposition rate, keeping all parameters constant. The BQD and MQD samples were grown by solid source MBE at a slow growth rate of 0.03 ML/s. A blueshift in the PL spectra for 11 layer coupled InAs/GaAs MQD heterostructure is observed compared to the BQDs for temperatures less than 180 K. This undesired blueshift is attributed to strain in the structure which overshadowed the usual redshift in emission wavelength in such structures due to electronic coupling. The variation in PL line-width with temperature in the MQD structure is found to be much lower than in the BQD. However the PL intensity of the MQDs fall at a faster rate with temperature compared to the BQD sample, due to strain generated non-radiative centers in the islands which favors in thermalization of carriers.     

Electrical characterization of InAs/GaAs quantum dot structures

The electrical properties of InAs quantum dots (QD) in InAs/GaAs structures have been investigated by space charge spectroscopy techniques, current–voltage and capacitance–voltage measurements. Au/GaAs/InAs(QD)/GaAs Schottky barriers as well as ohmic/GaAs/InAs(QD)/GaAs/ohmic structures have been prepared in order to analyze the apparent free carrier concentration profiles across the QD plane, the electronic levels around the QD and the electrical properties of the GaAs/InAs(QD)/GaAs heterojunction. Accumulation and/or depletion of free carriers at the QD plane have been observed by Capacitance–Voltage (C–V) measurements depending on the structure parameters and growth procedures. Similarly, quantum dot levels which exhibit distributions in energy have been detected by Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) and Admittance Spectroscopy (AS) measurements only on particular structures. Finally, the rectification properties of the InAs/GaAs heterojunction have been investigated and the influence of the related capacitance on the measured capacitance has been evidenced.     

Independent control of InAs quantum dot density and size on AlxGa1–xAs surfaces

Decoupling of InAs quantum dot (QD) size and density on Al_xGa_1?xAs surfaces (x = 0, 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45) is achieved by using a low growth rate and careful control of the temperature. The deposition rate of 0.01 μm/h, instead of 0.05 μm/h, allows the QDs to ripen with additional InAs deposition while the substrate temperature (490–520 °C) determines the QD density. On the GaAs surface, an increase of 10 °C results in an order of magnitude lower QD density. The increase of Al in the Al_xGa_1?xAs surfaces results in a higher dot density, lower dot size, and an increased size distribution. All surfaces show reduced QD density with increasing temperature and an identical zero dot density temperature at 523 °C. The GaAs surface shows increasing QD height with temperature while the Al_xGa_1?xAs surfaces show the opposite trend, but the InAs volume fraction in QDs for all surfaces decreases with increasing temperature, implying a more stable wetting layer. Increasing Al content also increases the InAs volume fraction in QDs, implying the wetting layer for all but the 520 °C samples is less than one monolayer. Photoluminescence samples demonstrate ground state QD energies above the GaAs bandedge.     

InAs/GaAs lasers with very thin active layer

InAs/GaAs laser structures based on atomically thin InAs strained quantum wells were prepared by metal–organic vapour phase epitaxy. The dependence of electroluminescence spectra on the thickness, as well as on the number of InAs quantum wells, was studied. The temperature dependence of the mode structure and optical output power were studied in the range from 25 to 100°C. The position of laser emission can be shifted by changing the thickness and the number of InAs active layers from 1.15 to 1.4 eV. Wavelength switching with increasing operating temperature and excitation current was observed.     

Bismuth surfactant mediated growth of InAs quantum dots by molecular beam epitaxy

This paper explores the significance of using bismuth as a surfactant during the molecular beam epitaxy growth of InAs quantum dots (QDs). The results show that Bi-mediated growth provides a practical solution towards achieving lower density QDs with high optical quality. The InAs QDs grown using Bi as a surfactant exhibit a 50 % lower QD density, narrower QD size distribution, and a doubled photoluminescence peak intensity at 16 K compared to those grown without Bi.     

热循环退火对InAs/Si(211)薄膜结构和电学性能的影响

InAs作为III-V族化合物半导体材料,可以应用于磁阻和霍尔元器件、量子点激光器元件、太阳能电池和红外探测器元件等方面,具有广泛的研究和应用前景.本文以Si(211)为衬底,采用热壁外延(hot wall epitaxy,HWE)技术制备了InAs薄膜,研究热循环退火(thermal cycle annealing,TCA)次数对InAs/Si(211)薄膜结构及电学性能的影响.热壁外延制备InAs薄膜的衬底温度为400℃,生长时间为4 h,不同的热循环退火次数为2、4、6、8、10.X射线衍射(XRD)测试表明:利用HWE技术在Si(211)衬底表面成功制备了闪锌矿结构的InAs薄膜,且沿(111)取向择优生长;TCA能够明显增强Si(211)衬底表面生长的InAs薄膜的择优取向.扫描电子显微镜(SEM)及原子力显微镜(AFM)测试分析表明:随着TCA次数增加到6次,InAs/Si(211)薄膜表面由于晶粒细化作用变得均匀平整,表面粗糙度从69.63 nm降低到56.43 nm,此时霍尔迁移率达到2.67×10~3cm~2/(V·s);过多的退火次数(≥8次)又会使薄膜表面的晶粒过大、缺陷增多,导致薄膜性能下降.     

InAs/GaAs multiple quantum dot structures grown by LP-MOVPE

Structures with self-organised InAs quantum dots in a GaAs matrix were grown by the low pressure metal–organic vapour phase epitaxy (LP-MOVPE) technique. Photoluminescence and atomic force microscopy were used as the main characterisation methods for the growth optimisation. The properties of multiple-stacked quantum dot structures are influenced by the thickness of the GaAs separation layers (spacers) between quantum dot-containing InAs layers, by the InAs layer thickness, by arsine partial pressure during growth, and by group III precursor flow interruption time.     

Effect of Si on the oxidation reaction of α-Ti(0 0 0 1) surface: ab initio molecular dynamics study

Abstract

We present our ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) study of the effect of Si on the oxidation of α-Ti(0?0?0?1) surfaces. We varied the Si concentration in the first layer of the surface from 0 to 25 at.% and the oxygen coverage (θ) on the surface was varied up to 1 monolayer (ML). The MD was performed at 300, 600 and 973 K. For θ = 0.5 ML, oxygen penetration into the slab was not observed after 16 ps of MD at 973 K while for θ > 0.5 ML, oxygen penetration into the Ti slab was observed even at 300 K. From Bader charge analysis, we confirmed the formation of the oxide layer on the surface of the Ti slab. At higher temperatures, the Si atoms diffused from the first layer to the interior of the slab, while the Ti atoms moved from second layer to the first layer. The pair correlation function shows the formation of a disordered Ti-O network during the initial stage of oxidation. Si was found to have a strong influence on the penetration of oxygen in the Ti slab at high temperatures.     

Effect of Ultrasonic Nanocrytalline Surface Modification on the Microstructural Evolution of Inconel 690 Alloy

Specimens of Inconel 690 were investigated after ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) using microhardness tests, electron backscattered diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After UNSM treatment, a 60% increase of hardness up to ～310 µm in depth was observed. Layer-by-layer TEM analysis showed well-refined grains and twins in addition to the high dislocations density. The mechanism of the microstructure refinement was attributed to the development of nano-grains, twin structures, and dislocations.     

Multilayer structures with quantum dots in the InAs/GaAs system emitting at a wavelength of 1.3 μm

The optical properties of multilayer structures with quantum dots in the heteroepitaxial InAs/GaAs system have been studied. The structures were obtained by the method of submonolayer migration-stimulated epitaxy. It is shown that the optimized growth conditions provide room-temperature luminescence at a wavelength of 1.3 μm.     

Electroluminescence of quantum-well structures on type-II InAs/GaSb heterojunctions

The electroluminescent properties of quantum-well diode structures on staggered type-II heterojunctions in the InAs/GaSb system, obtained by molecular-beam epitaxy on InAs substrates, are investigated. Electroluminescence is observed in the spectral range 3–4 μm at T=77 K. It is found that emission bands due to recombination transitions involving electrons from the size-quantization levels of both the self-matched quantum wells at the InAs/GaSb type-II heterojunction and of the square quantum wells in short-period superlattices. Pis’ma Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 24, 50–56 (June 26, 1998)     

InAs/GaAs nanostructures grown on patterned Si(001) by molecular beam epitaxy

The potential benefit from the combination of the optoelectronic and electronic functionality of III-V semiconductors with silicon technology is one of the most desired outcomes to date. Here we have systematically investigated the optical properties of InAs quantum structure embedded in GaAs grown on patterned sub-micron and nanosize holes on Si(001). III-V material tends to accumulate in the patterned sub-micron holes and a material depletion region is observed around holes when GaAs/InAs/GaAs is deposited directly on patterned Si(001). By use of a 60?nm SiO(2) layer and patterning sub-micron and nanosize holes through the oxide layer to the substrate, we demonstrate that high optical quality InAs nanostructures, both quantum dots and quantum wells, formed by a two-monolayer InAs layer embedded in GaAs can be epitaxially grown on Si(001). We also report the power-dependent and temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectra of these structures. The results show that hole diameter (sub-micron versus nanosize) has a strong effect on the structural and optical properties of GaAs/InAs/GaAs nanostructures.     

低温下GaAs（001）图形化衬底对In原子扩散机制的影响

通过预先制备的图形化衬底和液滴外延法的结合,利用固体源分子束外延在条纹构图的GaAs(100)衬底上生长InAs纳米结构。发现InAs量子点倾向于形成在靠近平台以及脊上或侧壁上,InAs量子点形貌的变化取决于图案化衬底上In原子受到的扩散限制。随着衬底温度提高和退火时间延长,沟壑底部的几乎所有InAs量子点都逐步消失,而在平台上生长并熟化。基于In原子在图形化衬底下GaAs的成核和扩散,发现了In原子在图形化GaAs表面优先在平台上成核并向上攀爬的机理。基于这个机制,系统讨论了退火时间,衬底温度以及Ehrlich-Schwoebel势垒对In原子在图形化表面的成核和扩散的影响。     

Temperature dependent photoluminescence investigation of the effect of growth pause induced ripening in InAs/GaAs quantum dot heterostructures

Self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) heterostructures grown by solid state molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) were subjected to growth ripening pause of comparatively shorter durations (0–50 s) at the growth temperature (520 °C). The islands are found to increase in size with the growth pause and correspondingly their density decreases. Though the photoluminescence spectra of the islands subjected to growth pause is found to follow conventional QD systems, a contradiction is noticed in the calculated values of the activation energy of the dots. We ascribed this contradiction due to the poor crystalline quality of the ripened QDs as a result of desorption and sublimation of indium during the pause at high growth temperature.     

Effect of the growth mode on the two- to three-dimensional transition of InAs grown on vicinal GaAs(001) substrates

Some differences were observed between conventional molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) and mobility enhanced epitaxy (MEE) of InAs on a vicinal GaAs(001) substrate in the variation of the number density N of the InAs islands, with additional InAs coverage (θ-θ(c)) after the critical InAs coverage θ(c) during the two-?to three-dimensional (2D-3D) transition. For MBE the variation was consistent with the power law N(θ)～(θ-θ(c))(α); while for MEE, the linear relation [Formula: see text] was observed. The difference is discussed in terms of the randomness in the nucleation of the InAs islands.