Optical properties of submonolayer InAs/InP quantum dots on vicinal surfaces

We have investigated the effect of the misorientation (001) InP substrates on the optical properties of submonolayers of InAs in InP grown by metalorg anic chemical vapor deposition. InAs submonolayers were systematically stud ied using low temperature photoluminescence (PL), photoluminescence excitat ion spectroscopy and temperature-dependent, excitation density PL. For subm onolayer samples with oriented substrates, the observed PL linewidths and e nergies are satisfactorily explained within a two-dimensional (2D) quantum well picture. The formation of InAs isolated quantum dots which is found in the submonolayer samples with misoriented substrates towards (110) orienta tions, however, results in 0D exciton localization. (C) 1999 American Insti tute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)09323-8].