Spin Relaxation of Electrons in Single InAs Quantum Dots

By using polarization-resolved photoluminescence spectra, we study the electron spin relaxation in single InAs quantum dots (QDs) with the configuration of positively charged excitons X+ (one electron, two holes). The spin relaxation rate of the hot electrons increases with the increasing energy of exciting photons. For electrons localized in QDs the spin relaxation is induced by hyperfine interaction with the nuclei. A rapid decrease of polarization degree with increasing temperature suggests that the spin relaxation mechanisms are mainly changed from the hyperfine interaction with nuclei into an electron-hole exchange interaction.

Size self-scaling effect in stacked InAs/InAlAs nanowire multilayers

Size self-scaling effect in stacked InAs/In0.52Al0.48As nanowires on InP substrates is revealed, i.e., the base width and height of the InAs nanowires have clear proportional dependence on thickness of the InAlAs spacer layer used in different samples. The photoluminescence wavelength from different samples, which varies between 1.3 and 1.9 mum, is also found closely correlated to the size self-scaling effect. This phenomenon can be well explained in the context of formation mechanism and growth features of the InAs/InAlAs nanowire arrays. The finding illustrates a degree of freedom to control the structural and optical properties of strained self-organized nanostructures. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Optical characteristics of InAs quantum dots capped with short period GaAs/InAs superlattices and InGaAs combination layers

Long wavelength light emission was realized by capping InAs quantum dots (QDs) with short period GaAs/InAs superlattices (SLs) and an InGaAs strain-reducing layer (SRL). The optical properties were systematically investigated by photoluminescence tests. With increasing the periods of SLs, the emission wavelength of InAs QDs shifts from 1.27 to 1.53 mum. We explain the redshift as a result of the increased QD height with the SLs and the reduced strain in the dot caused by InGaAs SRL. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Characterization of InAs quantum dots on lattice-matched InAlGaAs/InP superlattice structures

Self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) in an InAlGaAs matrix, lattice-matched to InP substrate, have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), double-crystal X-ray diffraction (DCXRD) and photoluminescence (PL) are used to study their structural and optical properties. In InAs/InAlGaAs/ InP system, we propose that when the thickness of InAs layer deposited is small, the random strain distribution of the matrix layer results in the formation of tadpole-shaped QDs with tails towards random directions, while the QDs begin to turn into dome-shaped and then coalesce to form islands with larger size and lower density to release the increasing misfit strain with the continuous deposition of InAs. XRD rocking curves showing the reduced strain with increasing thickness of InAs layer may also support our notion. The results of PL measurements are in well agreement with that of TEM images. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic structure of self-assembled InAs quantum disks in an axial magnetic field and two-electron quantum-disk qubit

We have studied the single-electron and two-electron vertically assembled quantum disks in an axial magnetic field using the effective mass approximation. The electron interaction is treated accurately by the direct diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix. We calculate the six energy levels of the single-electron quantum disks and the two lowest energy levels of the two-electron quantum disks in an axial magnetic field. The change of the magnetic field strongly modifies the electronic structures as an effective potential, leading to the splitting of the levels and the crossings between the levels. The effect of the vertical alignment on the electronic structures is discussed. It is demonstrated that the switching of the ground-state spin exists between S=0 and S=1. The energy difference DeltaE between the lowest S=0 and S=1 states is shown as a function of the axial magnetic field. It is also found that the variation of the energy difference between the lowest S=0 and S=1 states in the strong-B S=0 state is fairly linear. Our results provide a possible realization for a qubit to be fabricated by current growth techniques. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Effect of In0.2Ga0.8As and In0.2Al0.8As combination layer on band offsets of InAs quantum dots

We demonstrate the self-organized InAs quantum dots capped with thin and In0.2Al0.8As and In0.2Ga0.8As combination layers with a large ground and first excited energy separation emission at 1.35 mum at room temperature. Deep level transient spectroscopy is used to obtain quantitative information on emission activation energies and capture barriers for electrons and holes. For this system, the emission activation energies are larger than those for InAs/GaAs quantum dots. With the properties of wide energy separation and deep emission activation energies, self-organized InAs quantum dots capped with In0.2Al0.8As and In0.2Ga0.8As combination layers are one of the promising epitaxial structures of 1.3 mum quantum dot devices. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

InAs nanostructure grown with different growth rate in InAlAs matrix on InP (001) substrate

InAs self-organized nanostructures in In0.52Al0.48As matrix have been grown on InP (001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The morphologies of the nanostructures are found to be strongly dependent on the growth rate of the InAs layer. By increasing the growth rate from 0.005 to 0.35 ML/s, the morphology of the nanostructure changes from wire to elongated dot and then changes back to wire again. Polarized photoluminescence of the InAs quantum wires and quantum dots are performed at 77 K, which are characterized by strong optical anisotropies. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ordering growth of InAs quantum dots on ultra-thin InGaAs strained layer

InAs quantum dots (QDs) were grown On Ultra-thin In0.15Ga0.85As strained layers by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs (00 1) substrates. Combining reflection high-energy electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we analyzed the stress field of dislocations in the strained layer/substrate interface. Specially, we revealed the relative position of QDs and dislocations. We found that the difference of the stress field around dislocations is prominent when the strained layer is ultra-thin and the stress field will directly affect the following growth. On the strained layer surface, In0.15Ga0.85As ridges will form at the inclined upside of dislocations. Then, InAs QDs will prefer nucleating on the ridges, there is relatively small stress between InAs and In0.15Ga0.85As. By selecting ultra-thin In0.15Ga0.85As layer (50 nm) and controlling the QD layer at just form QDs, we obtained ordered InAs QDs. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The fabrication of self-aligned InAs nanostructures on GaAs(331)A substrates

Self-aligned InAs quantum wires (QWRs) or three-dimensional (3D) islands are fabricated on GaAs(331)A substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). InAs QWRs are selectively grown on the step edges formed by GaAs layers. The surface morphology of InAs nanostructures is carefully investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. Different growth conditions, such as substrate temperature, growth approaches, and InAs coverage, exert a great effect on the morphology of InAs islands. Low substrate temperatures favour the formation of wirelike nanostructures, while high substrate temperatures favour 3D islands. The shape transition is attributed to the trade-off between surface energy and strain energy. A qualitative agreement of our experimental data with the theoretical results derived from the model proposed by Tersoff and Tromp is achieved.

Effect of annealing on optical properties of InAs quantum dots grown by MOCVD on GaAs (100) vicinal substrates

Thermal annealing effect on InAs quantum dots grown on vicinal (100) GaAs substrates is studied in comparison with dots on exact (100) GaAs substrates. We find that annealing acts stronger effect on dots with vicinal substrates by greatly accelerating the degradation of material quality. as well as slightly increasing the blueshift of the emission wavelength and the narrowing of PL linewidth. It is attributed to the higher strain in the dots formed on the vicinal substrates.

Comparative study of InAs quantum dots grown on different GaAs substrates by MOCVD

We present a comparative study of InAs quantum dots grown on Si-doped GaAs (10 0) substrates, Si-doped GaAs (10 0) vicinal substrates, and semi-insulating GaAs (10 0) substrates. The density and size distribution of quantum dots varied greatly with the different substrates used. While dots on exact substrates showed only one dominant size, a clear bimodal size distribution of the InAs quantum dots was observed on GaAs vicinal substrates, which is attributed to the reduced surface diffusion due to the presence of multiatomic steps. The emission wavelength is blueshifted during the growth of GaAs cap layer with a significant narrowing of FWHM. We found that the blueshift is smaller for QDs grown on GaAs (10 0) vicinal substrates than that for dots on exact GaAs (100) substrates. This is attributed to the energy barrier formed at the multiatomic step kinks which prohibits the migration of In adatoms during the early stage of cap layer growth. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The structural and photoluminescence character of InAs quantum dots grown on a combined InAlAs and GaAs strained buffer

The structural and photoluminescence (PL) properties of the InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on a combined InAlAs and GaAs strained buffer layer have been investigated by AFM and PL measurements. The dependence of the critical thickness for the transition from 2D to 3D on the thickness of GaAs layer is demonstrated directly by RHEED. The effects of the introduced-InAlAs layer on the density and the aspect ratio of QDs have been discussed.

Excitonic energy of vertically stacked self-assmbled InAs quantum dots

We have studied the exciton states in vertically stacked self-assembled quantum disks within the effective mass approximation. The energy spectrum of the electron and hole is calculated using the transfer matrix formalism in the adiabatic approximation. The Coulomb interaction between the electron and the hole is treated accurately by the direct diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix. The effect of the vertical alignment of the disks on the ground energy of heavy- and light-hole exciton is presented and discussed. The binding energy is discussed in terms of the probability of the ground wave function. The ground energy of heavy- and light-hole excitons as a function of the magnetic field is presented and the effect of the disk size (the radius of disks) on the exciton energy is discussed.

The effect of a combined InAlAs and GaAs strained buffer layer on the structure and optical property of InAs quantum dots

The character of InAs quantum dots (QD) directly deposited on a combined InAlAs-GaAs (XML) strained buffer layer (SBL) has been investigated. This growth technique realizes high-density QD (5.88 x 10(10) cm(-2)) by changing the thickness of GaAs in InAlAs-GaAs SBL. The dependence of the density and the aspect ratio of QD on the GaAs thickness has been discussed in detail. The photoluminescence (PL) measurements demonstrate an obvious redshift with the increase of GaAs thickness. In addition, the deposition of InAs QDs grown on the combined InAlAs-GaAs SBL has an important effect of the QD properties. The ordered QD array can be observed from the sample deposited by atomic layer epitaxy, of which the PL peak shows an obvious redshift in comparison to the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) QDs when the GaAs thicknesses are equal. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic structure of self-assembled InAs quantum discs in a magnetic field with varying orientation and two-electron quantum-disc qubits

We have studied the electronic structure of vertically assembled quantum discs in a magnetic field with varying orientation using the effective mass approximation. We calculate the four energy levels of single-electron quantum discs and the two lowest energy levels of two-electron quantum discs in a magnetic field with varying orientation. The change of the magnetic field as an effective potential strongly modifies the electronic structure, leading to splittings of the levels and anticrossings between the levels. The calculated results also demonstrate the switching between the ground states with the total spin S = 0 and 1. The switching induces a qubit controlled by varying the orientation of the magnetic field.