Capillary-driven elastic attraction between quantum dots
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: We present a novel self-assembly route to align SiGe quantum dots. By a combination of theoretical analyses and experimental investigation, we show that epitaxial SiGe quantum dots can cluster in ordered closely packed assemblies, revealing an attractive phenomenon. We compute nucleation energy barriers, accounting for elastic effects between quantum dots through both elastic energy and strain-dependent surface energy. If the former is mostly repulsive, we show that the decrease in the surface energy close to an existing island reduces the nucleation barrier. It subsequently increases the probability of nucleation close to an existing island, and turns out to be equivalent to an effective attraction between dots. We show by Monte-Carlo simulations that this effect describes well the experimental results, revealing a new mechanism ruling self-organisation of quantum dots. Such a generic process could be observed in various heterogeneous systems and could pave the way for a wide range of applications.
Source: Nanoscale
DOI: 10.1039/c9nr00238c
Institutions: Aix-Marseille Université, Institut des Matériaux, de Microélectronique et des Nanosciences de Provence, Institut polytechnique de Grenoble, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux et Procédés, Université Grenoble Alpes, Northwestern University, Sorbonne Université, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Institut des NanoSciences de Paris
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2922418315