Fabrication of site-controlled InGaN quantum dots using reactive-ion etching

Abstract

We adopted the simple top-down etching to fabricate site- and dimension-controlled InGaN quantum dots. Each quantum dot is disk shaped and embedded in a nanoscale pillar. Arrays of nanopillars with varying densities and nanopillar diameters were fabricated from an InGaN/GaN single quantum well using inductively-coupled plasma reactive-ion etching. Micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) was used to characterize the emission properties of individual and ensemble of nanopillars. Strong and distinct PL signal of a single nanopillar was observed even at the room temperature. The emission was found to exhibit characteristics from a discrete energy state that is homogeneously broadened. The ensemble of nanopillars exhibited a similar emission linewidth as the single nanopillar, indicating a well controlled quantum dot dimensions and uniformity. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.