M Murat Bozkurt

GaAsSb-capped InAs quantum dots: From enlarged quantum dot height to alloy fluctuations

The Sb-induced changes in the optical properties of GaAsSb-capped InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) are shown to be strongly correlated with structural changes. The observed redshift of the photoluminescence emission is shown to follow two different regimes. In the first regime, with Sb concentrations up to approx12%, the emission wavelength shifts up to approx1280 nm with a large enhancement of the luminescence characteristics. A structural analysis at the atomic scale by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy shows that this enhancement arises from a gradual increase in QD height, which improves carrier confinement and reduces the sensitivity of the excitonic band gap to QD size fluctuations within the ensemble. The increased QD height results from the progressive suppression of QD decomposition during the capping process due to the presence of Sb atoms on the growth surface. In the second regime, with Sb concentrations above approx12%, the emission wavelength shifts up to approx1500 nm, but the luminescence characteristics progressively degrade with the Sb content. This degradation at high Sb contents occurs as a result of composition modulation in the capping layer and strain-induced Sb migration to the top of the QDs, together with a transition to a type-II band alignment.

Ellipsoidal InAs quantum dots observed by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy

We report a detailed analysis of the shape, size, and composition of self-assembled InAs quantum dots based on cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (X-STM) experiments. X-STM measurements on 13 individual quantum dots reveal an ellipsoidal dot shape with an average height of 8 nm and a diameter of 26 nm. Analysis of the outward relaxation and lattice constant profiles shows that the dots consist of an InGaAs alloy with a profound gradient in the indium concentration in both horizontal and vertical directions. These results are important to obtain a deeper understanding of the relationship between the structural and electronic properties of semiconductor quantum dots.

An atomic scale study on the effect of Sb during capping of MBE grown III–V semiconductor QDs

The use of Sb during the capping process of quantum dots (QDs) to tune the emission wavelength has been investigated by means of cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (X-STM), photoluminescence (PL) measurements and atomic force microscopy. It is found that a capping layer of GaAsSb reduces InAs/GaAs QD decomposition during capping due to the smaller lattice mismatch with the QD and due to the surfactant effect of Sb. An Sb content of 14% in the GaAsSb layer has been found to be sufficient to eliminate the QD decomposition completely and improve the PL properties. Further increase in the Sb content causes a degradation of the PL properties. Reduction of the QD decomposition has also been achieved by soaking the QDs with Sb before the capping. Furthermore, it is shown that the segregation of In and of Sb in the Ga and the As sublattices respectively are two independent processes. Similar investigations to the use of Sb to tune InAs/InP (311B) QDs are reported. Also in this case, the use of Sb, either in the form of elemental Sb or as a GaAsSb alloy, has resulted in elimination of QD decomposition.

Analysis of the modified optical properties and band structure of GaAs1-xSbx-capped InAs/GaAs quantum dots

The origin of the modified optical properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QD) capped with a thin GaAs1−xSbx layer is analyzed in terms of the band structure. To do so, the size, shape, and composition of the QDs and capping layer are determined through cross-sectional scanning tunnelling microscopy and used as input parameters in an 8 × 8 k·p model. As the Sb content is increased, there are two competing effects determining carrier confinement and the oscillator strength: the increased QD height and reduced strain on one side and the reduced QD-capping layer valence band offset on the other. Nevertheless, the observed evolution of the photoluminescence (PL) intensity with Sb cannot be explained in terms of the oscillator strength between ground states, which decreases dramatically for Sb > 16%, where the band alignment becomes type II with the hole wavefunction localized outside the QD in the capping layer. Contrary to this behaviour, the PL intensity in the type II QDs is similar (at 15 K) or even larger ...

Size-dependent exciton g factor in self-assembled InAs/InP quantum dots

We have studied the size dependence of the exciton g factor in self-assembled InAs/InP quantum dots. Photoluminescence measurements on a large ensemble of these dots indicate a multimodal height distribution. Cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy measurements have been performed and support the interpretation of the macrophotoluminescence spectra. More than 160 individual quantum dots have systematically been investigated by analyzing single dot magnetoluminescence between 1200 and 1600 nm. We demonstrate a strong dependence of the exciton g factor on the height and diameter of the quantum dots, which eventually gives rise to a sign change of the g factor. The observed correlation between exciton g factor and the size of the dots is in good agreement with calculations. Moreover, we find a size-dependent anisotropy splitting of the exciton emission in zero magnetic field.

Atomic scale characterization of Mn doped InAs/GaAs quantum dots

Several growth procedures for doping InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) with manganese (Mn) have been investigated with cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy. It is found that expulsion of Mn out of the QDs and subsequent segregation makes it difficult to incorporate Mn in the QDs even at low growth temperatures of T=320 °C and high Mn fluxes. Mn atoms in and around QDs have been observed with strain and potential confinement changing the appearance of the Mn features.

Control of polarization and dipole moment in low-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures

We demonstrate the control of polarization and dipole moment in semiconductor nanostructures, through nanoscale engineering of shape and composition. Rodlike nanostructures, elongated along the growth direction, are obtained by molecular beam epitaxial growth. By varying the aspect ratio and compositional contrast between the rod and the surrounding matrix, we rotate the polarization of the dominant interband transition from transverse-electric to transverse-magnetic, and modify the dipole moment producing a radical change in the voltage dependence of absorption spectra. This opens the way to the optimization of quantum dot amplifiers and electro-optical modulators.

Shape control of quantum dots studied by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy

In this cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy study we investigated various techniques to control the shape of self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) and wetting layers (WLs). The result shows that application of an indium flush during the growth of strained InGaAs/GaAs QD layers results in flattened QDs and a reduced WL. The height of the QDs and WLs could be controlled by varying the thickness of the first capping layer. Concerning the technique of antimony capping we show that the surfactant properties of Sb result in the preservation of the shape of strained InAs/InP QDs during overgrowth. This could be achieved by both a growth interrupt under Sb flux and capping with a thin GaAsSb layer prior to overgrowth of the uncapped QDs. The technique of droplet epitaxy was investigated by a structural analysis of strain free GaAs/AlGaAs QDs. We show that the QDs have a Gaussian shape, that the WL is less than 1 bilayer thick, and that minor intermixing of Al with the QDs takes place.

Shape and size control of InAs/InP (113)B quantum dots by Sb deposition during the capping procedure

The role of Sb atoms present on the growth front during capping of InAs/InP (113)B quantum dots (QDs) is investigated by cross-sectional scanning tunnelling microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Direct capping of InAs QDs by InP results in partial disassembly of InAs QDs due to the As/P exchange occurring at the surface. However, when Sb atoms are supplied to the growth surface before InP capping layer overgrowth, the QDs preserve their uncapped shape, indicating that QD decomposition is suppressed. When GaAs(0.51)Sb(0.49) layers are deposited on the QDs, conformal growth is observed, despite the strain inhomogeneity existing at the growth front. This indicates that kinetics rather than the strain plays the major role during QD capping with Sb compounds. Thus Sb opens up a new way to control the shape of InAs QDs.

Magnetic anisotropy of single Mn acceptors in GaAs in an external magnetic field

We investigate the effect of an external magnetic field on the physical properties of the acceptor hole statesassociated with single Mn acceptors placed near the (110) surface of GaAs. Cross-sectio ...