Dynamics of ripening of self-assembled II-VI semiconductor quantum dots

We report the systematic investigation of ripening of CdSe self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) on ZnSe. We investigate the size and density of the QDs as a function of time after deposition of CdSe has stopped. The dynamics of the ripening process is interpreted in terms of the theory of Ostwald ripening. Furthermore, the experimental results allow us to identify the growth mode of the QD formation process. [S0031-9007(98)07378-5]