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Morphological Changes to InAs Quantum Dots Caused by GaAs Overgrowth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

J.B. Smathers
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
P. Ballet
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
G.J. Salamo
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
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Abstract

We have used in-situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to study the morphological changes to InAs quantum dots (QD's) caused by overgrowth of a GaAs capping layer. We demonstrate that the InAs islands are highly unstable during GaAs overgrowth and that this morphological instability confirms that significant cation intermixing occurs during overgrowth. In particular, the anisotropic nature of the volume redistribution indicates that In surface diffusion is the specific mechanism of In transfer away from the islands. Images taken after 10 monolayers or more of overgrowth reveal that more rapid GaAs overgrowth better preserves the 3D-islands morphology.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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References

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