Strain-driven (In,Ga)As growth instability on GaAs [311]A and [311]B: self-organization of template for InAs quantum dot nucleation control

Author

Gong, Q. ; Notzel, R. ; Wolter, J.H.

Author_Institution

eiTT/COBRA Inter-Univ. Res. Inst., Eindhoven Univ. of Technol., Netherlands

fYear

2002

fDate

15-20 Sept. 2002

Firstpage

321

Lastpage

322

Abstract

Strain-driven growth instability of thin alloy films has been theoretically studied and experimentally verified in the epitaxy of Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ on Si[100]. In the growth of strained (In,Ga)As layers on GaAs, we have observed strain-driven growth instability on high-index [311]A and [311]B surfaces, resulting in periodic morphology undulations, while on [100] surfaces the growth is stable, as indicated by the flat morphology. The unique undulated surface, probably accompanied by lateral composition modulation, exhibits strong influence on the nucleation of InAs islands due to lateral strain distribution.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; atomic force microscopy; gallium arsenide; indium compounds; internal stresses; island structure; molecular beam epitaxial growth; nucleation; photoluminescence; semiconductor growth; semiconductor quantum dots; spectral line breadth; stability; surface morphology; (InGa)As; GaAs; InAs; InAs islands; InAs quantum dot nucleation control; [100] surfaces; atomic force microscopy; epi-ready GaAs semi-insulating substrates; flat morphology; high-index surfaces; lateral composition modulation; lateral strain distribution; line width; nucleation; one-dimensionally undulated surface; periodic morphology undulations; photoluminescence efficiency; self-organization; solid source molecular-beam epitaxy; strain-driven (In,Ga)As growth instability; strained (In,Ga)As layers; surface morphology evolution; thin alloy films; Atomic force microscopy; Capacitive sensors; Gallium arsenide; Molecular beam epitaxial growth; Optical surface waves; Quantum dots; Quantum mechanics; Strain control; Substrates; Surface morphology;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Molecular Beam Epitaxy, 2002 International Conference on

Conference_Location

San Francisco, CA, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7581-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MBE.2002.1037889

Filename

1037889