ABSTRACT
We have investigated the formation by MBE growth and the properties of InSb-based nanostructures on various “6.1 Å semiconductor” templates. We show that while InSb grows in the Stranski-Krastanow mode on bare GaSb, this results in a low density of large three-dimensional islands. A careful statistical analysis of the populations reveal that efficient means to increase the density and decrease the size of the nanostructures are to decrease the growth temperature, increase the growth rate and use an As-terminated interlayer. These results show the interplay between kinetics and thermodynamics effects. Finally, electroluminescence is demonstrated near 3.5 μm.
