Radiation Effects in Low Dimensional Semiconductor Structures

Abstract

The paper presents a survey of effects occurring in Si-Ge and III-V quantum dots, quantum wells, quantum wires and superlattices upon electron and proton irradiation as well as upon ion implantation. The important issue of the radiation hardness is treated in detail. It is shown that QD-based devices can withstand much higher radiation fluences than corresponding 2D and bulk structures. The physical mechanisms of this phenomenon are discussed. Coherent amorphization of superlattices and its relation to the ion-induced intermixing are considered. Examples of the application of particle irradiation to the device technology, especially, self-organized creation of nanopatterns and ion-beam synthesis of embedded nanocrystals, are given.