High-density nanometer-scale InSb dots formation using droplets heteroepitaxial growth by MOVPE

InSb nanostructures were grown by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy, using the droplet heteroepitaxial mode. We studied the factors governing the nanodots properties, comparing the effects of growth conditions, substrate lattice mismatch and substrate chemical composition. The best results, in terms of size and nanodots density, were obtained on As-based substrates, either GaAs or InAs. InSb dots as small as 12 nm with a density of 1×1011 cm−2 were obtained at growth temperature range of 350–430 °C. In addition, we present low-temperature photoluminescence results of the InSb quantum dot exhibiting peak at 0.27–0.3 eV, dependent on the dots size. Growth conditions, composition of the dots and mechanisms as well as the differences from the well-known Stranski–Krastanov growth mode are discussed.