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Spontaneous Formation of Arrays of Strained Islands: Thermodynamics Versus Kinetics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

V. A. Shchukin ,
N. N. Ledentsov  and
D. Bimberg
V. A. Shchukin
Affiliation:
Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
N. N. Ledentsov
Affiliation:
Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
D. Bimberg
Affiliation:
Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
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Abstract

Options are discussed which allow to distinguish equilibrium arrays of strained islands from kinetically-controlled arrays. Finite-temperature thermodynamic theory is developed for equilibrium arrays of two-dimensional monolayer-high islands in heteroepitaxial systems at submonolayer coverage. It is shown that the entropy contribution to the Helmholtz free energy of the system favors formation of small islands and results in the shrinkage of the islands with increasing temperature. The average size of islands decreases tremendously with respect to zero-temperature size at temperatures far below the characteristic energy of island formation. Such a temperature dependence can be the basis for decisive experiments aimed to distinguish between thermodynamic and kinetic effects on the formation of arrays of 2D islands. The theory is able to explain results of high-resolution electron microscopy of submonolayer arrays of InAs/GaAs(001) islands. Their formation is predominantly influenced by thermodynamics.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 583 , 1999 , 23
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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Footnotes

[⋄]

Permanent address: A.F. Ioffe Physical Technical Institute, St. Petersburg 194021, Russia.

References

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