Self-limiting growth and bimodal size distribution of Au nanoislands on InAs(111)B surface

2nd International School and Conference Saint-Petersburg OPEN on Optoelectronics, Photonics, Engineering and Nanostructures

Berdnikov, Y.^1 ; Sibirev, N.V.^1,4 ; Dubrovskii, V.G.^1,2,3 ; Kang, J.H.^5

St. Petersburg Academic University, Khlopina 8/3, St. Petersburg

194021, Russia^1

Ioffe Physical Technical Institute RAS, 26 Polytekhnicheskaya str, St. Petersburg

194021, Russia^2

ITMO University, Kronverkskiy pr. 49, St. Petersburg

197101, Russia^3

St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Politekhnicheskaya St., St. Petersburg

195251, Russia^4

Braun Center for Submicron Research, Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot

76100, Israel^5

关键词: Bimodal characters;    Bimodal size distribution;    Low-temperature deposition;    Nucleation models;    Self-limiting growths;    Semiconductor nanowire;    Semiconductor substrate;    Steady-state regime;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/643/1/012012/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/643/1/012012

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Gold nanoparticles are widely used for catalytic growth of different semiconductor nanowires. It is important therefore to have a full appreciation of the factors influencing the size distribution of such particles on semiconductor substrates. Here, we describe some interesting phenomena observed during low-temperature deposition of Au onto InAs(111)B substrates where Au islands are solid. In particular, we find a bimodal character of the size distribution of these islands. We then develop a nucleation model which is based on a specific form of the island formation energy. The model yields a self-limiting growth behavior in which the growth rate of large islands is suppressed e.g. due to dislocations. We show that the regime of self-regulated nucleation with a few pulses is observed for short growth times, leading to a bimodal size distribution or even a more complex shapes. For longer growth times, the system acquires a steady-state regime with a time-independent supersaturation and hence the pulses disappear.