Polarized cathodoluminescence study of selectively grown self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots

Abstract

We have examined the optical properties of self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on prepatterned GaAs(001) substrates with polarization sensitive and time-resolved cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging and spectroscopy techniques. The InAs QDs were formed using a novel application in self-assembled molecular beam epitaxial growth, which entailed the growth of InAs on preformed [11̄0]-oriented stripe mesas. Interfacet In adatom migration occurred along the stripe side-walls during growth, enabling the selective formation of linear arrays of InAs QDs on the stripe mesas. The total InAs deposition needed to induce the two-dimensional to three-dimensional morphology change on the stripes is less than that required to initiate QD formation on the unpatterned substrates. The QDs formed on the mesa top were found with a luminescence distribution redshifted relative to QDs in the valley region, indicating that QDs with a larger average size were formed on the mesa top. The lower density of QDs in the valley region led to a weaker emission and sharper δ-like transitions at lower beam currents, relative to emission from QDs on the mesa. CL imaging was employed to study the spatial distribution of luminescence and identified the presence of relatively small QDs situated near the edges of the valley region along the lower surface of the stripe edges. An excitation- and energy-dependent polarization anisotropy relative to the 〈110〉 directions was observed in CL emission. A polarization anisotropy reversal was found between CL from QDs on the mesa and in the valley regions, revealing the importance of the stress anisotropy in both the formation of QDs and their subsequent optical properties. The CL was examined as a function of temperature to evaluate the thermal re-emission of carriers and the associated activation energies. The carrier relaxation kinetics were studied with time-resolved CL to measure differences in the CL onset and decay rates for QDs in the valley and mesa regions.