Process for forming semiconductor quantum dots with superior structural and phological stability

Abstract

A process for forming thermodynamically stable, epitaxially grown semiconductor quantum dots with varying degree of atomic long-range order is described. This procedure encompasses heteroepitaxial growth, external lattice mismatch strain and point defect engineering, and the conversion of a thermodynamically metastable semiconductor alloy predecessor structure into a structure of compositionally modulated/structurally transformed semiconductor quantum dots with varying degree of atomic long-range order by specific thermal treatments. These quantum dots are structurally stable at room temperature and reasonable device operation temperatures. The key structural transformation is achieved through thermodynamically driven atomic ordering. The resulting thermodynamically stable quantum dots have extensive applications in opto- and micro-electronic devices where the performance depends on both the structural and chemical homogeneity and long-term structural stability of these so called zero-dimensional entities.

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