Temperature dependence of the size distribution function of InAs quantum dots on GaAs(001)

Journal Article · Thu Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVB.81.165306· OSTI ID:21366734

Arciprete, F; Fanfoni, M; Patella, F; Della Pia, A; Balzarotti, A; Placidi, E ^[1]

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1. Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Roma 'Tor Vergata', Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, I-00133 Roma (Italy)

We present a detailed atomic-force-microscopy study of the effect of annealing on InAs/GaAs(001) quantum dots grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. Samples were grown at a low growth rate at 500 deg. C with an InAs coverage slightly greater than critical thickness and subsequently annealed at several temperatures. We find that immediately quenched samples exhibit a bimodal size distribution with a high density of small dots (<50 nm{sup 3}) while annealing at temperatures greater than 420 deg. C leads to a unimodal size distribution. This result indicates a coarsening process governing the evolution of the island size distribution function which is limited by the attachment-detachment of the adatoms at the island boundary. At higher temperatures one cannot ascribe a single rate-determining step for coarsening because of the increased role of adatom diffusion. However, for long annealing times at 500 deg. C the island size distribution is strongly affected by In desorption.

• OSTI ID: 21366734
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 81, Issue 16; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.81.165306; (c) 2010 The American Physical Society; ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANNEALING
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DENSITY
DESORPTION
DIFFUSION
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
INDIUM ARSENIDES
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
QUANTUM DOTS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
THICKNESS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
DIMENSIONS
EPITAXY
FUNCTIONS
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HEAT TREATMENTS
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
MICROSCOPY
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
SORPTION
TEMPERATURE RANGE