In situ electron-beam processing for III-V semiconductor nanostructure fabrication

Quantum dots (QDs) and quantum wires (QWRs) are promising for future optoel ectronic device applications. To realize the expected performances of devic es using such semiconductor nanostructures, the sites and sizes of the nano structures must be effectively controlled. For this purpose, we have develo ped nano-fabrication technology using 'in situ electron-beam lithography' a nd self-organizing molecular-beam epitaxial growth. Using this method, fine holes were formed on GaAs surfaces, and then a few monolayers of InAs were supplied to form QDs. It was revealed that the resulting QDs were selectiv ely formed in the holes, without any QD formation in the flat region betwee n the holes, because of accumulation of In atoms in the holes. This result demonstrates the usefulness of the in situ patterning/self-organizing growt h approach for realizing arbitrarily arranged nanostructures. (C) 2000 Else vier Science S.A. All rights reserved.