A study was made of the Fermi-level effect upon interdiffusion in self-organized quantum dots. Modulation doping was used to place electrons or holes in the quantum dots’ zero-dimensional levels. The ground-state emission energy and discrete level energy separations showed that p-type modulation doping enhanced interdiffusion between the quantum-dot material and its surrounding barriers. Meanwhile, n-type doping inhibited interdiffusion. The results were consistent with interdiffusion which proceeded via interstitial crystal defects.

Fermi-Level Effect on the Interdiffusion of InAs and InGaAs Quantum Dots. O.B.Shchekin, D.G.Deppe, D.Lu: Applied Physics Letters, 2001, 78[20], 3115-7