M. Dähne

Structure of DySi2 nanowires on Si(001)

Free-standing dysprosium–silicide nanowires can be formed on Si(001) by self assembly. It is shown that the wires consist of anisotropically strained hexagonal DySi2 with the c axis aligned perpendicular to the wires. The surface is characterized by a 2×1 reconstruction due to the formation of Si dimer chains.

Reversed truncated cone composition distribution of In0.8Ga0.2As quantum dots overgrown by an In0.1Ga0.9As layer in a GaAs matrix

We present cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy results of self-organized In0.8Ga0.2As quantum dots covered by an In0.1Ga0.9As film inside a GaAs matrix prepared by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. From images of quantum dots with atomic resolution, we determine a spatial distribution of the In composition within the dots with a shape of a reversed truncated cone. The wetting layer and the overgrown In0.1Ga0.9As layer show vertical intermixing.

Change of InAs/GaAs quantum dot shape and composition during capping

Using plan-view and cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy, the shape and composition of InAs/GaAs quantum dots are investigated before and after capping by GaAs. During capping, the original pyramidally shaped quantum dots become truncated, resulting in a flat (001) top facet and steeper side facets. The InAs quantum dots are found to be intermixed at their top with GaAs due to material rearrangement. Since the bottom interface of quantum dots and wetting layer is always sharp, this intermixing occurs during capping and not during quantum dot growth. Considering strain energies, a model for the capping is presented.

Surface states and origin of the Fermi level pinning on nonpolar GaN(11¯00) surfaces

GaN(11¯00) cleavage surfaces were investigated by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. It is found that both the N and Ga derived intrinsic dangling bond surface states are outside of the fundamental band gap. Their band edges are both located at the Γ¯ point of the surface Brillouin zone. The observed Fermi level pinning at 1.0 eV below the conduction band edge is attributed to the high step and defect density at the surface but not to intrinsic surface states.

Structure and intermixing of GaSb/GaAs quantum dots

We present cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy results of GaSb quantum dots in GaAs, grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The size of the optically active quantum dots with base lengths of 4–8 nm and heights of about 2 nm is considerably smaller than previously published data obtained by other characterization methods. The local stoichiometry, obtained from atomically resolved images, shows a strong intermixing in the partly discontinuous wetting layer with an average GaSb content below 50%, while the GaSb content of the partly intermixed quantum dots is between 60% and 100%.

Structure and electronic properties of dysprosium-silicide nanowires on vicinal Si(001)

Dysprosium-silicide nanowires with widths of 15–100 A and lengths exceeding several 1000 A can be formed on Si(001) by self-assembly. Because of the anisotropy of the Si(001) surface, these nanowires grow in two orthogonal directions. In this study we demonstrate that growth on vicinal substrates results in a perfect unidirectional alignment of the wires. This allows an investigation by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy showing anisotropic metallicity of the nanowires.

Nanovoids in InGaAs∕GaAs quantum dots observed by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy

We present cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy data of a type of InGaAs∕GaAs quantum-dot structure characterized by a hollow center. This void structure develops during a long growth interruption applied after deposition of a quantum dot layer and a thin cap layer, resulting in an eruption of indium-rich material. Subsequent fast overgrowth does not fill the void completely. This growth behavior demonstrates limitations of current strategies to grow large quantum dots.

20 Gb/s 85

980 nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers based on submonolayer growth of quantum dots show clearly open eyes and operate error free with bit error rates better than 10 at 25 and 85degC for 20 Gb/s without current adjustment. The peak differential efficiency only reduces from 0.71 to 0.61 W/A between 25 and 85degC; the maximum output power at 25degC is above 10 mW.

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GaSb quantum rings in GaAs were studied by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy. The quantum rings have an outer shape of a truncated pyramid with typical lateral extensions between 10 and 30nm and heights between 1 and 3nm, depending on the molecular beam epitaxy growth conditions. A clear central opening of varying diameter and more or less conical shape, filled with GaAs, is characteristic for the GaSb rings. The self-organized formation of quantum rings during the growth and subsequent fast overgrowth of GaSb quantum dots is attributed to a combination of large strain with strong Sb segregation. The latter is enabled by extensive group-V atomic exchange reactions at the GaSb∕GaAs interfaces, which are quantitatively evaluated from the atomically resolved microscopy data.

C Error-Free Operation of VCSELs Based on Submonolayer Deposition of Quantum Dots

A nonpolar stoichiometric InN(112¯0) surface freshly cleaved inside UHV was investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Due to the absence of intrinsic surface states in the band gap, scanning tunneling spectroscopy yields directly the fundamental bulk band gap of 0.7±0.1 eV. The Fermi energy is pinned 0.3 eV below the conduction band minimum due to cleavage induced defect states. Thus, intrinsic electron accumulation can be excluded for this surface. Electron accumulation is rather an extrinsic effect due to surface contamination or material decomposition, but not an intrinsic material property of InN.