Enhanced formation of nanowires and quantum dots on dislocated substrates

A new mode of enhanced growth of semiconductor nanowires and quantum dots on mismatched substrates is suggested and theoretically examined. This mode is based on the effects of misfit dislocations located in a composite two-layer substrate on the epitaxial growth on the substrate surface. It is shown that stress fields of such dislocations are capable of essentially enhancing the formation of nanowires and quantum dots on dislocated substrates, compared to the conventional case of non-dislocated substrates. In particular, in certain ranges of parameters of heteroepitaxial systems, the growth of quantum dots and nanowires on non-dislocated substrates is forbidden, while their growth on dislocated substrates with the same parameters is energetically favourable