G. Patriarche

Why does wurtzite form in nanowires of III-V zinc blende semiconductors?

We develop a nucleation-based model to explain the formation of the wurtzite phase during the catalyzed growth of freestanding nanowires of zinc blende semiconductors. We show that in vapor-liquid-solid nanowire growth, nucleation generally occurs preferentially at the triple phase line. This entails major differences between zinc blende and wurtzite nuclei. Depending on the pertinent interface energies, wurtzite nucleation is favored at high liquid supersaturation. This explains our systematic observation of zinc blende during early growth of gold-catalyzed GaAs nanowires.

Analysis of vapor-liquid-solid mechanism in Au-assisted GaAs nanowire growth

GaAs nanowires were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on (111)B oriented surfaces, after the deposition of Au nanoparticles. Different growth durations and different growth terminations were tested. After the growth of the nanowires, the structure and the composition of the metallic particles were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. We identified three different metallic compounds: the hexagonal β′Au7Ga2 structure, the orthorhombic AuGa structure, and an almost pure Au face centered cubic structure. We explain how these different solid phases are related to the growth history of the samples. It is concluded that during the wire growth, the metallic particles are liquid, in agreement with the generally accepted vapor-liquid-solid mechanism. In addition, the analysis of the wire morphology indicates that Ga adatoms migrate along the wire sidewalls with a mean length of about 3μm.

Core/Shell Colloidal Semiconductor Nanoplatelets

We have recently synthesized atomically flat semiconductor colloidal nanoplatelets with quasi 2D geometry. Here, we show that core/shell nanoplatelets can be obtained with a 2D geometry that is conserved. The epitaxial growth of the shell semiconductor is performed at room temperature. We report the detailed synthesis of CdSe/CdS and CdSe/CdZnS structures with different shell thicknesses. The shell growth is characterized both spectroscopically and structurally. In particular, the core/shell structure appears very clearly on high-resolution, high-angle annular dark-field transmission electron microscope images, thanks to the difference of atomic density between the core and the shell. When the nanoplatelets stand on their edge, we can precisely count the number of atomic planes forming the core and the shell. This provides a direct measurement, with atomic precision, of the core nanoplatelets thickness. The constraints exerted by the shell growth on the core is analyzed using global phase analysis. The core/shell nanoplatelets we obtained have narrow emission spectra with full-width at half-maximum close to 20 nm, and quantum yield that can reach 60%.

Height dispersion control of InAs/InP quantum dots emitting at 1.55 μm

A procedure of InAs/InP quantum dots elaboration emitting at 1.55 μm by gas source molecular beam epitaxy is described. It is based on a modification of the capping layer growth which is deposited in two steps, separated by a growth interruption under phosphorus flux. The main effect of this two step capping layer growth is to reduce the height of the biggest islands and thus to decrease the photoluminescence linewidth of the quantum dots emission line. Transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence experiments show that quantum dots structure are still present after growth interruption under phosphorus flux and that the photoluminescence linewidth at 1.55 μm is reduced from 120 to 50 meV, thanks to this procedure.

Crystal Phase Quantum Dots

In semiconducting nanowires, both zinc blende and wurtzite crystal structures can coexist. The band structure difference between the two structures can lead to charge confinement. Here we fabricate and study single quantum dot devices defined solely by crystal phase in a chemically homogeneous nanowire and observe single photon generation. More generally, our results show that this type of carrier confinement represents a novel degree of freedom in device design at the nanoscale.

Au-assisted molecular beam epitaxy of InAs nanowires: Growth and theoretical analysis

The Au-assisted molecular beam epitaxial growth of InAs nanowires is discussed. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction observations of phase transitions of the catalyst particles indicate that they can be liquid below the eutectic point of the Au-In alloy. The temperature range where the catalyst can be liquid covers the range where we observed nanowire formation (380–430 °C). The variation of nanowire growth rate with temperature is investigated. Pure axial nanowire growth is observed at high temperature while mixed axial/lateral growth occurs at low temperature. The change of the InAs nanowire shape with growth duration is studied. It is shown that significant lateral growth of the lower part of the nanowire starts when its length exceeds a critical value, so that their shape presents a steplike profile along their axis. A theoretical model is proposed to explain the nanowire morphology as a result of the axial and lateral contributions of the nanowire growth.

Metal organic vapor phase epitaxy growth of GaAsN on GaAs using dimethylhydrazine and tertiarybutylarsine

GaAsN layers with good structural quality and surface morphology have been successfully grown on a GaAs substrate using atmospheric pressure metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. A new combination of precursors namely, dimethylhydrazine for nitrogen and tertiarybutylarsine instead of conventional arsine for arsenic, greatly facilitated growths at temperatures as low as 500 °C. Layers with N content as high as 3% and corresponding to room temperature photoluminescence (PL) peak wavelength of 1.17 μm (1.064 eV) have been obtained.

Efficient exciton concentrators built from colloidal core/crown CdSe/CdS semiconductor nanoplatelets.

We present the synthesis and the optical properties of a new type of two-dimensional heterostructure: core/crown CdSe/CdS nanoplatelets. They consist of CdSe nanoplatelets that are extended laterally with CdS. Both the CdSe core and the CdS crown dimensions can be controlled. Their thickness is controlled at the monolayer level. These novel nanoplatelet-based heterostructures have spectroscopic properties that can be similar to nanoplatelets or closer to quantum dots, depending on the CdSe core lateral size.

New progresses in transparent rare-earth doped glass-ceramics

Recent advances in rare-earth doped transparent fluoride glass-ceramics with high crystallisation level (90%) are reported. The first stages of the devitrification process have been studied by X-ray scattering and their precursor signs observed by Raman spectroscopy. Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray microanalysis have also been used to measure the composition fluctuations inducing the spinodal decomposition responsible for the devitrification of this family of glasses. The optical spectroscopy of the erbium ion in the glass-ceramics shows crystal-like spectra. A reduction of inhomogeneous linewidth by a factor of 2 is observed between glass and glass-ceramic on different transitions resulting in an increase of the maximum cross-sections. The lifetime of the different measured levels is kept constant or increased by the ceramming process.

Growth and Characterization of Wurtzite GaAs Nanowires with Defect-Free Zinc Blende GaAsSb Inserts

We have demonstrated the growth of a unique wurtzite (WZ) GaAs nanowire (NW) with a zinc blende (ZB) GaAsSb insert by Au-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. An abrupt interface from the WZ GaAs phase to the ZB GaAsSb phase was observed, whereas an intermediate segment of a 4H polytype GaAs phase was found directly above the ZB GaAsSb insert. A possible mechanism for the different phase transitions is discussed. Furthermore, low temperature microphotoluminescence (micro-PL) measurements showed evidence of quantum confinement of holes in the GaAsSb insert.