Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
The effect of nitrogen composition on structural parameters of intrinsic quantum dots (QDs) has been studied in GaAs1-yNy and InxGa1-xAs1-yNy alloys (y∼0. 015–0.03) using low-temperature near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) combined with magneto-photoluminescence spectroscopy. We used measurements of the diamagnetic shift (magnetic field strength 0–10T), temperature dependent spectra (temperature range 5–300K) and near-field monochromatic images for the estimation of the size, nitrogen excess and density of QDs. The obtained values (size ∼10–30 nm, nitrogen excess ∼0.005 and density ∼100 /μm-3) suggest spontaneous formation (phase separation) of QDs. Strong lateral inhomogeniety of the QD distribution on a micron length scale was observed.