2-DIMENSIONAL ISLAND BASED MODEL FOR SELF-INDUCING QUANTUM DOTS

We propose a thermodynamic model which describes the formation of self -inducing quantum dots from two-dimensional islands. We assumed that t he migrating atoms on the substrate surface can exist only on the surf ace lattice sites away from the two-dimensional islands. With this ass umption, there is a maximum size of the two-dimensional islands in equ ilibrium with the migrating atoms. A source supply on the surface, aft er the islands reach the maximum size, causes size reduction of the tw o-dimensional islands. This size reduction induces the first-order pha se transition of the two-dimensional islands to quantum dots.