Quantum dot opto-mechanics in a fully self-assembled nanowire

We show that fully self-assembled optically-active quantum dots (QDs) embedded in MBE-grown GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires (NWs) are coupled to the NW mechanical motion. Oscillations of the NW modulate the QD emission energy in a broad range exceeding 14 meV. Furthermore, this opto-mechanical interaction enables the dynamical tuning of two neighboring QDs into resonance, possibly allowing for emitter-emitter coupling. Both the QDs and the coupling mechanism -- material strain -- are intrinsic to the NW structure and do not depend on any functionalization or external field. Such systems open up the prospect of using QDs to probe and control the mechanical state of a NW, or conversely of making a quantum non-demolition readout of a QD state through a position measurement.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure

III-V nanowire arrays: growth and light interaction

Semiconductor nanowire arrays are reproducible and rational platforms for the realization of high performing designs of light emitting diodes and photovoltaic devices. In this paper we present an overview of the growth challenges of III-V nanowire arrays obtained by molecular beam epitaxy and the design of III-V nanowire arrays on silicon for solar cells. While InAs tends to grow in a relatively straightforward manner on patterned (111) Si substrates, GaAs nanowires remain more challenging; success depends on the cleaning steps, annealing procedure, pattern design and mask thickness. Nanowire arrays might also be used for next generation solar cells. We discuss the photonic effects derived from the vertical configuration of nanowires standing on a substrate and how these are beneficial for photovoltaics. Finally, due to the special interaction of light with standing nanowires we also show that the Raman scattering properties of standing nanowires are modified. This result is important for fundamental studies on the structural and functional properties of nanowires

Growth mechanisms and process window for InAs V-shaped nanoscale membranes on Si[001]

Organized growth of high aspect-ratio nanostructures such as membranes is interesting for opto-electronic and energy harvesting applications. Recently, we reported a new form of InAs nano-membranes grown on Si substrates with enhanced light scattering properties. In this paper we study how to tune the morphology of the membranes by changing the growth conditions. We examine the role of the V/III ratio, substrate temperature, mask opening size and inter-hole distances in determining the size and shape of the structures. Our results show that the nano-membranes form by a combination of the growth mechanisms of nanowires and the Stranski-Krastanov type of quantum dots: in analogy with nanowires, the length of the membranes strongly depends on the growth temperature and the V/III ratio; the inter-hole distance of the sample determines two different growth regimes: competitive growth for small distances and an independent regime for larger distances. Conversely, and similarly to quantum dots, the width of the nano-membranes increases with the growth temperature and does not exhibit dependence on the V/III ratio. These results constitute an important step towards achieving rational design of high aspect-ratio nanostructures

Probing inhomogeneous composition in core/shell nanowires by Raman spectroscopy

Due to its non-destructive and its micro-spatial resolution, Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool for a rapid structural and compositional characterization of nanoscale materials. Here, by combining the compositional dependence of the Raman peaks with the existence of photonic modes in the nanowires, we address the composition inhomogeneities of AlxGa1-xAs/GaAs core/shell structures. The experimental results are validated with complementary chemical composition maps of the nanowire cross-sections and finite-difference time-domain simulations of the photonic modes. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC

Bottom-up engineering of InAs at the nanoscale: From V-shaped nanomembranes to nanowires

The ability to rationally tune the morphology of nanostructures is a fundamental milestone in nanoscale engineering. In particular, the possibility to switch between different shapes within the same material system represents a further step in the development of complex nanoscale devices and it increases the potential of nanostructures in practical applications. We recently reported a new form of InAs nanostructures growing epitaxially on Si substrates as vertical V-shaped membranes. Here we demonstrate the possibility of modifying the shape of these nanomembranes and turning them into nanowires by modulating the surface roughness of the substrate by varying the surface treatment. We show that the growth of nanomembranes is favored on smooth surfaces. Conversely rough surfaces enhance the growth of nanowires. We also shove that the V/III ratio plays a key role in determining the absolute yield, i.e. how many nanostructures form during growth. These results envisage a new degree of freedom in the engineering of bottom up nanostructures and contribute to the achievement of nanostructure networks. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Three-dimensional nanoscale study of Al segregation and quantum dot formation in GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires

GaAs/Al-GaAs core-shell nanowires fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy contain quantum confining structures susceptible of producing narrow photoluminescence (PL) and single photons. The nanoscale chemical mapping of these structures is analyzed in 3D by atom probe tomography (APT). The study allows us to confirm that Al atoms tend to segregate within the AlGaAs shells towards the vertices of the hexagons defining the nanowire cross section. We also find strong alloy fluctuations remaining AlGaAs shell, leading occasionally to the formation of quantum dots (QDs). The PL emission energies predicted in the framework of a 3D effective mass model for a QD analyzed by APT and the PL spectra measured on other nanowires from the same growth batch are consistent within the experimental uncertainties. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC

Tuning the g-factor of neutral and charged excitons confined to self-assembled (Al,Ga)As shell quantum dots

We study the neutral exciton (X) and charged exciton (CX) transitions from (Al,Ga) As shell quantum dots located in core-shell nanowires, in the presence of a magnetic field. The g-factors and the diamagnetic coefficients of both the X and the CX depend on the orientation of the field with respect to the nanowire axis. The aspect ratio of the X wavefunction is quantified based on the anisotropy of the diamagnetic coefficient. For specific orientations of the magnetic field, it is possible to cancel the g-factor of the bright states of the X and the CX by means of an inversion of the sign of the hole's g-factor, which is promising for quantum information processing applications. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC