A. D. Bouravleuv

Photovoltaic Properties of p-Doped GaAs Nanowire Arrays Grown on n-Type GaAs(111)B Substrate

We report on the molecular beam epitaxy growth of Au-assisted GaAs p-type-doped NW arrays on the n-type GaAs(111)B substrate and their photovoltaic properties. The samples are grown at different substrate temperature within the range from 520 to 580 °C. It is shown that the dependence of conversion efficiency on the substrate temperature has a maximum at the substrate temperature of 550 °C. For the best sample, the conversion efficiency of 1.65% and the fill factor of 25% are obtained.

Formation of (Ga,Mn)As nanowires and study of their magnetic properties

The molecular-beam epitaxy technique is used to synthesize arrays of (Ga,Mn)As nanowire crystals on a GaAs (111)B surface in the growth-temperature range 480–680°C. It is established that the formation of (Ga,Mn)As nanowires can be described in the context of a vapor-liquid-crystal mechanism. It is shown that the growth of (Ga,Mn)As nanowires must occur in conditions stabilized with respect to Ga. It is found that the field and temperature dependences of the static magnetic susceptibility for samples produced at the temperature 660°C exhibit paramagnetic behavior.

Ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As nanowires grown by Mn-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

(Ga,Mn)As nanowires were grown by molecular beam epitaxy using Mn as a growth catalyst on GaAs(001) substrates at 485 °C, i.e., at intermediate temperatures higher than ones used for the growth of (Ga,Mn)As thin films, but lower than the ordinary temperatures of Au-assisted growth of GaAs nanowires. (Ga,Mn)As nanowires obtained with typical lengths between 0.8 and 4 μm and diameters 50–90 nm do not have defects, such as dislocations or precipitates, except for the stacking faults lying parallel to the growth direction. The investigation of magnetic and optical properties has been carried out not only for as-grown samples with nanowires but also for peeled off nanowires from the host substrate. The results obtained demonstrate that (Ga,Mn)As nanowires exhibit ferromagnetic ordering around 70 K.

Study of processes of self-catalyzed growth of gaas crystal nanowires by molecular-beam epitaxy on modified Si (111) surfaces

The processes of growth of self-catalyzed GaAs crystal nanowires on Si (111) surfaces modified by three different methods are studied. For the technology of production of the GaAs nanowires, molecular-beam epitaxy is used. It is found that, in the range of substrate temperatures between 610 and 630°C, the surface density of nanowires and their diameter sharply increases, whereas the temperature dependence of the nanowire length exhibits a maximum at 610°C. An increase in the temperature to 640°C suppresses the formation of nanowires. The method that provides a means for the fabrication of purely cubic GaAs nanowires is described. A theoretical justification of the formation of the cubic phase in self-catalyzed GaAs nanowires is presented.

Sharp emission from single InAs quantum dots grown on vicinal GaAs surfaces

We report on optical studies of single InAs quantum dots grown on vicinal GaAs(001) surfaces. To ensure low quantum dot density and appropriate size, we deposit InAs layers 1.4 or 1.5 ML thick, thinner than the critical thickness for Stranski–Krastanov quantum dot formation. These dots show sharp and bright photoluminescence. Lifetime measurements reveal an exciton lifetime of 500 ps. Polarization measurements show an exciton fine structure splitting of 15 μeV and allow to identify the exciton and charged exciton transitions with linewidth as narrow as 23 μeV.

Fractal Self-Assembled Nanostructures on Monocrystalline Silicon Surface

We present ultra-shallow diffusion profiles performed by short-time diffusion of boron from the gas phase using controlled surface injection of self-interstitials and vacancies into the ntype Si(100) wafers. The diffusion profiles of this kind are found to consist of both longitudinal and lateral silicon quantum wells of the p-type that are self-assembled between the layers of microdefects, which are produced by previous oxidation. These layers appear to be passivated during short-time diffusion of boron thereby forming neutral d - barriers. The fractal type selfassembly of microdefects is found to be created by varying the thickness of the oxide overlayer, which represents the system of microcavities embedded in the quantum well plane.

Model of a GaAs Quantum Dot Embedded in a Polymorph AlGaAs Nanowire

We report on a numerical model of quasi-1-D and quasi-0-dimensional semiconductor heterostructures. This model is strictly based on experimental structures of cylindrical nanocolumns of AlGaAs grown by molecular-beam epitaxy in the (1 1 1) direction. The nanocolumns are of 20-50 nm in diameter and 0.5-1 μm in length and contain a single GaAs quantum dot of 2 nm in thickness and 15-45 nm in diameter. Since the crystal phase of these nanowires spontaneously switches during the growth from zincblende (Zb) to wurzite (Wz) structures, we implement a continuum elastic model and an eight-band k→ · p→ model for polymorph crystal structures. The model is used to compute electromechanical fields, wave-function energies of the confined states and optical transitions. The model compares a pure Zb structure with a polymorph in which the Zb disk of GaAs is surrounded by Wz barriers and results are compared to experimental photoluminescence excitation spectra. The good agreement found between theory and features in the spectra supports the polyphorm model.

Hybrid AlGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs nanowires with a quantum dot grown by molecular beam epitaxy on silicon

Data on the growth features and physical properties of GaAs inserts embedded in AlGaAs nanowires grown on Si(111) substrates by Au-assisted molecular beam epitaxy are presented. It is shown that by varying the growth parameters it is possible to form structures like quantum dots emitting in a wide wavelength range for both active and barrier regions. The technology proposed opens up new possibilities for the integration of direct-band III–V materials on silicon.

(In,Mn)As quantum dots: Molecular-beam epitaxy and optical properties

Self-assembled (In,Mn)As quantum dots are synthesized by molecular-beam epitaxy on GaAs (001) substrates. The experimental results obtained by transmission electron microscopy show that doping of the central part of the quantum dots with Mn does not bring about the formation of structural defects. The optical properties of the samples, including those in external magnetic fields, are studied.

Specific features of Raman spectra of III–V nanowhiskers

Raman spectra of GaAs nanowhiskers that are grown on different substrates and differ from one another by the content of the sphalerite and wurtzite phases have been investigated. Special attention has been focused on the manifestation of structural features in the scattering spectra of nanowhiskers. It has been established that the nanowhiskers are characterized both by random inclusions of wurtzite layers in the sphalerite structure and by the continuous growth in the wurtzite phase. The interpretation of the scattering spectrum agrees with the concept of summation of the dispersion curves of the sphalerite structure upon transition to the wurtzite structure, which leads to a transformation of zone-boundary modes at the L point of the Brillouin zone into zone-center modes of the wurtzite structure and, as a consequence, to the appearance of a number of new fundamental modes of different symmetries. An analysis of the Raman spectra has revealed the formation of the hexagonal 4H polytype in narrow layers of nanowhiskers due to a random packing of hexagonal layers. The coexistence of the sphalerite and wurtzite phases in GaAs nanowhiskers completely correlates with the photoluminescence spectra measured for the same samples.