Template-nonlithographic nanopatterning for site control growth of InGaN nanodots

Abstract

A site-control nucleation and growth approach for dense InGaN nanodots has been demonstrated on the surface of GaN using a nonlithographic nanopatterning technique by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Shallow nanopore arrays with a depth of ∼15nm are created by inductively coupled plasma etching in the GaN surface using anodic aluminum oxide films as etch masks. The nanopores are found to be the preferential sites for the InGaN nanodot formation. Uniform InGaN nanodot arrays with a density as high as 1010∕cm2 as defined by the nanopores in GaN were observed on the surface. A strong photoluminescence (PL) emission peak near 2.8eV is observed from the InGaN nanodots. The temperature dependence of PL shows the enhanced carrier localization with higher activation energy in the InGaN nanodots when compared to the InGaN thin layer grown simultaneously on the nonpatterned GaN surface.