In situ fabrication of self-aligned InGaAs quantum dots on GaAs multiatomic steps by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

Self-alignment of InGaAs quantum dots was achieved by growing the quantum dots on the multiatomic steps in metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. In this technique, first GaAs epilayer with multiatomic step structures along straight lines was grown on a vicinal GaAs substrate under appropriate growth conditions. Then, the InGaAs quantum dots were grown selectively on the multiatomic step edges using strain effects. This growth technique results in spontaneously aligned InGaAs quantum dots without any preprocessing technique prior to the growth.