Novel lateral semiconductor nanostructures on shallow-patterned high- and low-index GaAs substrates

Ordering of lateral semiconductor nanostructures, quantum wires and quantum dots, is the prerequisite for exploiting their unique electronic properties in novel quantum functional optical devices. We present our approach based on the generation of periodic step arrays on shallow mesa-patterned GaAs(311)A and (100) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. Pattern-induced step arrays locally modify and modulate the surfaces' structural and chemical properties, generating unique templates for further ordered nanostructured materials growth. This is based on the evolution of different types of step arrays depending on surface orientation and mesa direction and is demonstrated for the case of (In,Ga)As island formation