InAs self-organized quantum dots inserted in InGaAs quantum well have been grown on GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The lateral size of the InAs islands has been found to be approximately 1.5 times larger as compared to the InAs/GaAs case, whereas the island heights and surface densities were close in both cases. The quantum dot emission wavelength can be controllably changed from 1.1 to 1.3 μm by varying the composition of the InGaAs quantum well matrix. Photoluminescence at 1.33 μm from vertical optical microcavities containing the InAs/InGaAs quantum dot array was demonstrated.

Annealing at higher temperature (700 °C) of structures with two-dimensional and three-dimensional arrays in InAs–GaAs quantum dots (QDs) results in an increase in the size and in a corresponding decrease in the indium composition of the QDs. The change in the In composition is monitored by the contrast pattern in the plan-view transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images viewed under the strong beam imaging conditions. Increase in the size of the QDs is manifested by the plan-view TEM images taken under [001] zone axis illumination as well as by the cross-section TEM images. We show that the dots maintain their geometrical shape upon annealing. Luminescence spectra demonstrate a shift of the QD luminescence peak toward higher energies with an increase in the annealing time (10–60 min) in agreement with the decrease in indium composition revealed in TEM studies. The corresponding decrease in the QD localization energy results in an effective evaporation of carriers from QDs at room temperature, and the intensity of the QD luminescence decreases, and the intensity of the wetting layer and the GaAs matrix luminescence increase with the increase in the annealing time.

The structure and properties of GaAs layers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy at low temperature (150-250 °C) have been studied. The samples were found to contain up to 1.5 at.% extra As, which formed nano-scale clusters under annealing. The dependences of the excessive As concentration and As-cluster size and density on the growth and annealing conditions were established. LT-GaAs layers were found to have high electrical resistivity, however, our investigations of microwave absorption in a weak magnetic field revealed a characteristic signal usually attributed to the superconducting phase. It has been proved that this microwave absorption is unlikely to be due to either the arsenic clusters in LT-GaAs films or indium in the substrate, as it was assumed previously. We suggest a new hypothesis that the superconducting phase in LT-GaAs is Ga nanoclusters formed on the growth surface.

Mechanism for improvements of optical properties of 1.3-μ m InAs ∕ GaAs quantum dots by a combined InAlAs -InGaAs cap layer J. Appl. Phys. 98, 083516 (2005); 10.1063/1.2113408 Tuning InAs/GaAs quantum dot properties under Stranski-Krastanov growth mode for 1.3 μm applicationsSuppression of temperature sensitivity of interband emission energy in 1.3-μm-region by an InGaAs overgrowth on self-assembled InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots Quantum dots ͑QDs͒ formed on GaAs͑100͒ substrates by InAs deposition followed by ͑Al,Ga͒As or ͑In,Ga,Al͒As overgrowth demonstrate a photoluminescence ͑PL͒ peak that is redshifted ͑up to 1.3 m͒ compared to PL emission of GaAs-covered QDs. The result is attributed to redistribution of InAs molecules in the system in favor of the QDs, stimulated by Al atoms in the cap layer. The deposition of a 1 nm thick AlAs cover layer on top of the InAs-GaAs QDs results in replacement of InAs molecules of the wetting layer by AlAs molecules, leading to a significant increase in the heights of the InAs QDs, as follows from transmission electron microscopy. This effect is directly confirmed by transmission electron microscopy indicating a transition to a Volmer-Weber-like QD arrangement. We demonstrate an injection laser based on this kind of QDs.

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We demonstrate the possibility of extending the spectral range of luminescence due to InAs quantum dots (QDs) in a GaAs matrix up to 1.7 μm. Realization of such a long wavelength emission is related to formation of lateral associations of QDs during InAs deposition at low substrate temperatures (∼320–400 °C).

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The influence of different growth conditions on the In distribution in ultrathin InGaN insertions in a GaN matrix is investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and an appropriate image evaluation technique. It is demonstrated that the indium distribution represents dense arrays of In-rich nanodomains inserted in a layer with a lower indium concentration. The sizes of the In-rich regions are about 4–5 nm at a growth temperature of 720 °C. Increasing the growth temperature leads to a strong decrease in the of nanoisland density and, also, a moderate decrease in their lateral size. Increasing the trimethylindium/trimethylgallium ratio strongly increases the density of the islands, but the lateral size remains weakly effected. The observations are in agreement with a thermodynamic model of island formation including entropy effects.