Effect of Sb and As spray on emission characteristics of InAs quantum dots with AlAs capping layer

We report on the influence of an Sb/As combined spray on the physical and optical characteristics of AlAs-capped InAs/GaAs quantum dots grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy. Photoluminescence emission from the quantum dots shows a significant peak position shift under different Sb/As spray sequences. A blue-shifted quantum dot emission peak with an initial Sb rest indicates a large-to-small quantum dots transition process, with a bi-modal quantum dot size distribution inferred. High-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy results reveal a large density of small quantum dots when the Sb spray is treated first. Furthermore, defect passivation in the vicinity of the quantum dots by use of Sb spray was detected. (paper)