Incorporation of InAs nanostructures in a silicon matrix:: growth, structure and optical properties

MBE growth and properties of InAs nanoscale islands formed on silicon are reported. Islands capped with Si emit a photoluminescence band in the 1.3 mum region. Upon annealing at increased substrate temperature, extensive interdiffusion leads to the formation of an InAs solid solution in the Si cap layer. Additionally, InAs-enriched regions with extensions of similar to 6 nm, exhibiting two kinds of ordering, are observed. The ordering of InAs molecules occurs, respectively, in (101) and (10(1) over bar) planes inclined to (110) and (1(1) over bar 0) planes parallel to the [001] growth direction. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.