Tip artifact in atomic force microscopy observations of InAs quantum dots grown in Stranski–Krastanow mode

The tip artifact in atomic force microscopy (AFM) observations of InAs islands was evaluated quantitatively. The islands were grown in the Stranski–Krastanow mode of molecular beam epitaxy. The width and height of the islands were determined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and AFM. The average [1¯10] in-plane width and height determined using TEM excluding native oxide were 22 and 7nm, respectively; those determined using AFM including the oxide were 35 and 8nm, respectively. The difference in width was due to the oxide and the tip artifact. The sizes including the oxide were deduced from TEM observations to be a width of 27nm and a height of 6nm with correction for the thickness of the oxide. The residual difference of 8nm between the width determined using AFM and that determined using TEM including the oxide was ascribed to the tip artifact. The results enable us to determine the actual size of the islands from their AFM images.

[1]  C. Madden,et al.  Towards nanoscale metrology for biomolecular imaging by atomic force microscopy , 2005 .

[2]  Charles M. Lieber,et al.  Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube AFM Probes: Optimal Imaging Resolution of Nanoclusters and Biomolecules in Ambient and Fluid Environments , 2004 .

[3]  N. Yokoyama,et al.  Size, density, and shape of InAs quantum dots in closely stacked multilayers grown by the Stranski-Krastanow mode , 2003 .

[4]  J. E. Nostrand,et al.  Cooperative nucleation and evolution in InGaAs quantum dots in multiply stacked structures , 2001 .

[5]  Charles M. Lieber,et al.  High-yield assembly of individual single-walled carbon nanotube tips for scanning probe microscopies , 2001 .

[6]  David T. D. Childs,et al.  Effect of growth rate on the size, composition, and optical properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dots grown by molecular-beam epitaxy , 2000 .

[7]  Anupam Madhukar,et al.  Punctuated island growth: An approach to examination and control of quantum dot density, size, and shape evolution , 1999 .

[8]  Philip Kim,et al.  Single-walled carbon nanotube probes for high-resolution nanostructure imaging , 1998 .

[9]  H. Ohno,et al.  Making nonmagnetic semiconductors ferromagnetic , 1998, Science.

[10]  L. Samuelson,et al.  A REFLECTION HIGH-ENERGY ELECTRON DIFFRACTION AND ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY STUDY OF THE CHEMICAL BEAM EPITAXIAL GROWTH OF INAS AND INP ISLANDS ON (001) GAP , 1998 .

[11]  M. Arnsdorf,et al.  Scanning (atomic) force microscopy imaging of earthworm haemoglobin calibrated with spherical colloidal gold particles , 1997, Journal of microscopy.

[12]  M. Tabet,et al.  Comparison of atomic force microscope and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry data of nanometre size zinc islands , 1996 .

[13]  L. Samuelson,et al.  Controlled manipulation of nanoparticles with an atomic force microscope , 1995 .

[14]  Egorov,et al.  Structural characterization of (In,Ga)As quantum dots in a GaAs matrix. , 1995, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[15]  J. Vesenka,et al.  Three‐dimensional probe reconstruction for atomic force microscopy , 1994 .

[16]  Udo D. Schwarz,et al.  Tip artefacts in scanning force microscopy , 1994 .

[17]  M. Arnsdorf,et al.  Calibration of the scanning (atomic) force microscope with gold particles , 1994, Journal of microscopy.

[18]  S. Denbaars,et al.  Direct formation of quantum‐sized dots from uniform coherent islands of InGaAs on GaAs surfaces , 1993 .

[19]  Fransiska S. Franke,et al.  Envelope reconstruction of probe microscope images , 1993 .

[20]  Peter Grutter,et al.  Tip artifacts of microfabricated force sensors for atomic force microscopy , 1992 .

[21]  D. Keller.  Reconstruction of STM and AFM images distorted by finite-size tips , 1991 .

[22]  Chris Van Haesendonck,et al.  Can atomic force microscopy tips be inspected by atomic force microscopy , 1991 .

[23]  H. Sakaki,et al.  Multidimensional quantum well laser and temperature dependence of its threshold current , 1982 .

[24]  S. Akita,et al.  Atomic force microscopy with carbon nanotube probe resolves the subunit organization of protein complexes. , 2000, Journal of electron microscopy.

[25]  P. Markiewicz,et al.  Atomic force microscopy probe tip visualization and improvement of images using a simple deconvolution procedure , 1994 .