Formation of InAs wetting layers studied by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy

We show that the composition of (segregated) InAs wetting layers (WLs) can be determined by either direct counting of the indium atoms or by analysis of the outward displacement of the cleaved surface as measured by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy. We use this approach to study the effects of the deposited amount of indium, the InAs growth rate, and the host material on the formation of the WLs. We conclude that the formation of (segregated) WLs is a delicate interplay between surface migration, strain-driven segregation, and the dissolution of quantum dots during overgrowth. ©2005 American Institute of Physic