Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T06:57:30.974Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Time evolution of Nano Dots created on InP(111) surfaces by keV irradiation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Dipak Paramanik
Affiliation:
[email protected], Institute of Physics, XPS/SPM laboratory, Sachivalay Marg, Bhubaneswar, N/A, India, 91-674-2301058, 91-674-2300142
Subrata Majumdar
Affiliation:
[email protected], Institute of Physics, XPS/SPM laboratory, Sachivalay Marg, Bhubaneswar, N/A, India
Smruti Ranjan Sahoo
Affiliation:
[email protected], Institute of Physics, XPS/SPM laboratory, Sachivalay Marg, Bhubaneswar, N/A, India
Shikha Varma
Affiliation:
[email protected], Institute of Physics, XPS/SPM laboratory, Sachivalay Marg, Bhubaneswar, N/A, India
Get access

Abstract

Fabrication of Nanodots on semiconductor surfaces has immense importance due to their application in memory and optoelectronic devices. Ion irradiation methods display an easy and cost effective route for developing self assembled structures. We have studied the formation of Nano-dots on InP(111) surfaces by 3keV Ar ion irradiation. The distribution of nano Dots on InP surfaces has been investigated by Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM). A 5 min irradiation of InP surface with Ar ions leads to the appearance of dots on the surface. The density of dots is, however very small. These dots have been obtained at room temperature, in the absence of sample rotation, with an angle of 15 degree between the ion axis and the sample normal. After an irradiation of 10 min a large density of dots appear on InP surface and display a narrow distribution of size and height. The dots at this stage have an average diameter of 25nm and a height of 4nm. With increased irradiation time the average size and the height of the dots increase and their distribution also become broader. This scenario, however, changes after a 40 min irradiation where large rectangular shaped dots of about 100 nm diameters and 40 nm height are observed. Surprisingly, for larger irradiation times a reduction in the size and heights is observed. The studies suggest “Critical Time” tc at t= 40 min such that the dot structures grow with time below tc but diminish in size beyond it.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Smith, C.G., Rep. Prog. Phys. 59, 235 (1996).Google Scholar
2. Facsko, S., Dekorsy, T., Koerdt, C., Trappe, C., Kurz, H., Vogt, A., Hartnagel, H. L., Science 285, 1551 (1999)Google Scholar
3. Sigmund, Peter, Phys. Rev. 184, 383 (1969).Google Scholar
4. Bradley, R. Mark and James, Harper, M. E., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 6, 2390 (1988).Google Scholar
5. Kahng, B., Jeong, H. and Barabasi, A.-L., Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 805 (2001).Google Scholar
6. Tan, S.K., Wee, A.T.S., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 24, 1444 (2006).Google Scholar
7. Frost, F., Schindler, A., and Bigl, F., Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 4116 (2000).Google Scholar
8. Maclaren, S.W., Baker, J.E., Finnegan, N.L., Loxton, C.M., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 10, 468 (1992).Google Scholar
9. Frost, F., Ziberi, B., Hoche, T., Rauschenbach, B., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B 216, 9 (2004)Google Scholar
10. Cuerno, R., Makes, H.A., Tomassone, S., Harington, S.T., and Barabasi, A.-L., Phys. Rev. Lett. 75, 4464 (1995).Google Scholar
11. Rost, M. and Krug, J., Phys. Rev. Lett. 75 3894 (1995).Google Scholar
12. Paramanik, Dipak, Pradhan, Asima, Varma, Shikha, J. App. Phys., 99, 014304 (2006).Google Scholar
13. Paramanik, Dipak, Varma, Shikha, J. App. Phys., 101, 023528 (2007)Google Scholar