CdSe-based quantum dot nanostructures: MBE growth, properties and applications

The paper presents an overview of the recent results of novel CdSe quantum dot (QD) fabrication techniques with the main emphasis on a stressor-controlled self-organization process resulting in nucleation of the optically active up to room temperature real CdSe QDs with a narrower size distribution, a higher density and a high Cd content. The main idea of the stressor-controlled epitaxy is the intentional introduction of a super-strained fractional monolayer of a much higher lattice-mismatch compound - stressor - to create strong local stress fields on the growth surface which govern self-assembling of the main QD material. The studies were performed on a type-II non-common atom CdSe/BeTe system, where CdTe (Δa/a∼14%) and BeSe (Δa/a∼-10%) interface bonds play the role of intrinsic stressors. Both experimental data (growth, structural and optical characterization) and Monte Carlo simulation of the growth process are presented