Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Semiconductor quantum wires and dots have been fabricated in GaAs/AlGaAs, CdTe/CdMnTe and Si/SiGe multiple quantum wells using electron beam patterning and reactive ion etching and studied by photoreflectance, photoluminescence and Raman scattering. It was found that the smaller the lateral size of the nanostructure, the smaller the fabrication induced residual strain. In all cases, the dominant strain component is found to be parallel to the sample growth direction, i.e., along the etched sidewalls of the etched wires and dots. The lateral confining potential is found to be quasi-parabolic for polar semiconductor systems. Possible ways of using and controlling the damage and residual strain in nanostructures are discussed in the context of device applications of nanostructures.