Kinetics of quantum dots growth from low-temperature plasma containing nanoclusters

Summary form only given. Quantum dots (QD) are the semiconductor nano-objects that can be grown from gas or low-temperature weakly ionized plasma. The QDs growth is a complicated process that influences the dots structure and distribution by size. The control of QDs pattern parameters is the task of a primary interest. In this work we present a model and numerical simulations of the kinetics of QDs growth from low-temperature plasma that contains nanoclusters. We simulate formation of quantum dots from plasma, in which the nano-particles are formed and deposited to the surface, along with the ions and neutrals. We show that the presence of dusty particles, as well as their distribution function influences the QDs size distribution function. In the model, we take into account the following processes: particle inflow due to the external flux from plasma; particle evaporation from substrate surface; QDs formation on the surface due to collisions of migrating adsorbed particles; evaporation of particles from QDs borders to the two-dimensional vapor on surface; evaporation of particles from QS surface to the three-dimensional vapor. The model allows simulation of the time-dependent behavior of the QDs pattern. The dependences of surface adatom density, as well as density of nano-clusters consisting of 2, 3, .. 6 atoms are shown. It can be seen that the surface density of adatoms increases rapidly after starting the process, but then decreases due to outflow to the nano-clusters formed on surface. The density of larger nano-objects shows the same behavior