GaAs nanocrystals formed by sequential ion implantation

Abstract

Sequential ion implantation of As and Ga into SiO2 and α-Al2O3 followed by thermal annealing has been used to form zinc-blende GaAs nanocrystals in these two matrices. In SiO2, the nanocrystals are nearly spherical and randomly oriented, with diameters less than 15 nm. In Al2O3, the nanocrystals are three dimensionally aligned with respect to the crystal lattice. Infrared reflectance measurements show evidence for surface phonon modes in the GaAs nanocrystals in these matrices.