Lutz Geelhaar

Atomically resolved structure of InAs quantum dots

InAs was grown by molecular-beam epitaxy onto GaAs(001) until quantum dots (QDs) formed. At this point, the growth was interrupted and the uncovered QDs were investigated in situ by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Atomically resolved STM images of the QDs revealed that four dominating bounding facets occur, whose Miller indices were identified to be {137}. The assignment of the facet orientation was based on experiments on planar high Miller index GaAs surfaces. In addition, the latter experiments indicated that {137} facets are thermodynamically stable only up to a certain size. This conclusion is assumed to explain the sharp size distribution of InAs QDs.

Suitability of Au- and Self-Assisted GaAs Nanowires for Optoelectronic Applications

The incorporation of Au during vapor-liquid-solid nanowire growth might inherently limit the performance of nanowire-based devices. Here, we assess the material quality of Au-assisted and Au-free grown GaAs/(Al,Ga)As core-shell nanowires using photoluminescence spectroscopy. We show that at room temperature, the internal quantum efficiency is systematically much lower for the Au-assisted nanowires than for the Au-free ones. In contrast, the optoelectronic material quality of the latter is comparable to that of state-of-the-art planar double heterostructures.

Spontaneous Nucleation and Growth of GaN Nanowires: The Fundamental Role of Crystal Polarity

We experimentally investigate whether crystal polarity affects the growth of GaN nanowires in plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy and whether their formation has to be induced by defects. For this purpose, we prepare smooth and coherently strained AlN layers on 6H-SiC(0001) and SiC(0001̅) substrates to ensure a well-defined polarity and an absence of structural and morphological defects. On N-polar AlN, a homogeneous and dense N-polar GaN nanowire array forms, evidencing that GaN nanowires form spontaneously in the absence of defects. On Al-polar AlN, we do not observe the formation of Ga-polar GaN NWs. Instead, sparse N-polar GaN nanowires grow embedded in a Ga-polar GaN layer. These N-polar GaN nanowires are shown to be accidental in that the necessary polarity inversion is induced by the formation of Si(x)N. The present findings thus demonstrate that spontaneously formed GaN nanowires are irrevocably N-polar. Due to the strong impact of the polarity on the properties of GaN-based devices, these results are not only essential to understand the spontaneous formation of GaN nanowires but also of high technological relevance.

Effects of nanowire coalescence on their structural and optical properties on a local scale

The effects of GaN nanowire coalescence have been investigated on a local scale by combining high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging with spatially resolved cathodoluminescence measurements. Coalescence induces the formation of a network of boundary dislocations, above which I1-type basal-plane stacking faults are nucleated. The former contributes to the reduction in the crystalline quality at the bottom of coalesced nanowires while the latter leads to intense excitonic radiative transitions at 3.42 eV in their center. Despite coalescence, the top of coalesced nanowires presents a very high crystalline quality, resulting in strong radiative recombinations of donor bound excitons at 3.47 eV.

Luminescence of GaAs nanowires consisting of wurtzite and zinc-blende segments

GaAs nanowires (NWs) grown by molecular-beam epitaxy may contain segments of both the zincblende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) phases. Depending on the growth conditions, we find that optical emission of such NWs occurs either predominantly above or below the band gap energy of ZB GaAs [E(g,ZB)]. This result is consistent with the assumption that the band gap energy of wurtzite GaAs [E(g,WZ)] is larger than E(g,ZB) and that GaAs NWs with alternating ZB and WZ segments along the wire axis establish a type II band alignment, where electrons captured within the ZB segments recombine with holes of the neighboring WZ segments. Thus, the corresponding transition energy depends on the degree of confinement of the electrons, and transition energies exceeding E(g,ZB) are possible for very thin ZB segments. At low temperatures, the incorporation of carbon acceptors plays a major role in determining the spectral profile as these can effectively bind holes in the ZB segments. From cathodoluminescence measurements of single GaAs NWs performed at room temperature, we deduce a lower bound of 55 meV for the difference E(g,WZ)-E(g,ZB).

Direct experimental determination of the spontaneous polarization of GaN

We present a universal approach for determining the spontaneous polarization Psp of a wurtzite semiconductor from the emission energies of excitons bound to the different types of stacking faults in these crystals. Employing micro-photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, we observe emission lines from the intrinsic and extrinsic stacking faults in strain-free GaN micro-crystals. By treating the polarization sheet charges associated with these stacking faults as a plate capacitor, Psp can be obtained from the observed transition energies with no additional assumptions. Self-consistent Poisson-Schroedinger calculations, aided by the microscopic electrostatic potential computed using density-functional theory, lead to nearly identical values for Psp. Our recommended value for Psp of GaN is -0.022+/-0.007 C/m^{2}.

Self-Regulated Radius of Spontaneously Formed GaN Nanowires in Molecular Beam Epitaxy

We investigate the axial and radial growth of GaN nanowires upon a variation of the Ga flux during molecular beam epitaxial growth. An increase in the Ga flux promotes radial growth without affecting the axial growth rate. In contrast, a decrease in the Ga flux reduces the axial growth rate without any change in the radius. These results are explained by a kinetic growth model that accounts for both the diffusion of Ga adatoms along the side facets toward the nanowire tip and the finite amount of active N available for the growth. The model explains the formation of a new equilibrium nanowire radius after increasing the Ga flux and provides an explanation for two well-known but so far not understood experimental facts: the necessity of effectively N-rich conditions for the spontaneous growth of GaN nanowires and the increase in nanowire radius with increasing III/V flux ratio.

Coaxial multishell (In,Ga)As/GaAs nanowires for near-infrared emission on Si substrates.

Efficient infrared light emitters integrated on the mature Si technology platform could lead to on-chip optical interconnects as deemed necessary for future generations of ultrafast processors as well as to nanoanalytical functionality. Toward this goal, we demonstrate the use of GaAs-based nanowires as building blocks for the emission of light with micrometer wavelength that are monolithically integrated on Si substrates. Free-standing (In,Ga)As/GaAs coaxial multishell nanowires were grown catalyst-free on Si(111) by molecular beam epitaxy. The emission properties of single radial quantum wells were studied by cathodoluminescence spectroscopy and correlated with the growth kinetics. Controlling the surface diffusivity of In adatoms along the NW side-walls, we improved the spatial homogeneity of the chemical composition along the nanowire axis and thus obtained a narrow emission spectrum. Finally, we fabricated a light-emitting diode consisting of approximately 10(5) nanowires contacted in parallel through the Si substrate. Room-temperature electroluminescence at 985 nm was demonstrated, proving the great potential of this technology.

A compact ultrahigh-vacuum system for the in situ investigation of III/V semiconductor surfaces

A compact ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) system has been built to study growth and properties of III/V semiconductor surfaces and nanostructures. The system allows one to grow III/V semiconductor surfaces by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and analyze their surface by a variety of surface analysis techniques. The geometric structure is examined by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low-energy electron diffraction and reflection high-energy electron diffraction. The electronic properties of the surfaces are studied by angular resolved photoemission either in the laboratory using a helium discharge lamp or at the Berlin Synchrotron Radiation Facility BESSY. In order to meet the space restriction at BESSY the system dimensions are kept very small. A detailed description of the apparatus and the sample handling system is given. For the UHV-STM (Park Scientific Instruments, VP2) a new, versatile tip handling mechanism has been developed. It allows the transfer of tips out of the chamber and furthermore, the in situ tip...

Collector Phase Transitions during Vapor−Solid−Solid Nucleation of GaN Nanowires

We investigate the nucleation of Ni-induced GaN nanowires by in situ and ex situ experiments. Three nucleation stages are evidenced. In the first two stages, different crystal structures of the Ni collectors are identified. Real-time monitoring of the Ga desorption allows the amount of Ga incorporated in the collectors to be quantified. A transition of their crystal structure prior to nanowire growth is found to be in agreement with the thermodynamically stable phase sequence of the relevant phase diagrams.