Fabrication of a self-aligned cross-wire quantum-dot chain light emitting diode by molecular beam epitaxial regrowth

Abstract

The fabrication of a cross-wire p–i–n light emitting diode (LED) by molecular beam epitaxial overgrowth on mesa-patterned GaAs(100) substrates is presented. Micron-wide mesa stripes fabricated by standard photolithography are subsequently narrowed to sub-micron dimensions by GaAs overgrowth due to net migration towards the mesa top. Chains of InAs quantum dots (QDs) can then be grown in a self-aligned manner on top of the narrow GaAs ridge mesa, forming the active region of the QD-chain LED. The kinetics of the overgrowth is discussed and the electroluminescence operation of the LED is presented.