High-density nanometer-scale InSb dots formation using droplets heteroepitaxial growth by MOVPE

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 291; no. 2; pp. 363 - 369
• Main Authors: Shusterman, S., Paltiel, Y., Sher, A., Ezersky, V., Rosenwaks, Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-06-2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: A1. Surface structure; A3. Droplet epitaxy; A3. Metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy; B1. Antimonides; B1. InSb; B1. Nanomaterials; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Physics; Quantum dots; 68.65.Hb; B1. Antimonides; A3. Droplet epitaxy; 81.16.−c; B1. InSb; A1. Surface structure; B1. Nanomaterials; A3. Metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy; 81.15.Gh; 81.05.Ea; Inorganic compounds; Indium antimonides; Photoluminescence; VPE; Crystal growth from vapors; Nanostructures; Density; Stranski-Krastanov growth mode; Size effect; 81.16.-c; Chemical composition; Buffer layer; Temperature dependence; Quantum dots; Al. Surface structure; Bl. Antimonides; Binary compounds; Experimental study; AES; Morphology; MOVPE method; Heteroepitaxy; Nanostructured materials; III-V semiconductors
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2006.03.042

InSb nanostructures were grown by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy, using the droplet heteroepitaxial mode. We studied the factors governing the nanodots properties, comparing the effects of growth conditions, substrate lattice mismatch and substrate chemical composition. The best results, in terms of size and nanodots density, were obtained on As-based substrates, either GaAs or InAs. InSb dots as small as 12
nm with a density of 1×10
11
cm
−2 were obtained at growth temperature range of 350–430
°C. In addition, we present low-temperature photoluminescence results of the InSb quantum dot exhibiting peak at 0.27–0.3
eV, dependent on the dots size. Growth conditions, composition of the dots and mechanisms as well as the differences from the well-known Stranski–Krastanov growth mode are discussed.