Size distribution of coherently strained InAs quantum dots

Abstract

The influence of the InAs coverage on the size and density of coherently strained InAs islands was investigated. At moderate InAs coverages the photoluminescence signal reflects the Gaussian size distribution of small coherently strained islands. However, before the coherently strained islands transform into dislocated ones the Gaussian line shape of their photoluminescence signal changes and a narrow peak appears on the low-energy tail. We attribute this change to an accumulation of coherently strained islands at a maximum size before dislocated island transformation occurs. Effects of luminescence from dislocated islands, size-dependent relaxation processes, capture efficiencies, and dot-dot coupling are also discussed. However, our calculations and the magnetophotoluminescence, as well as the photovoltage experiments, confirm our interpretation of a size accumulation process of coherently strained islands.