Carrier confinement in Ge/Si quantum dots grown with an intermediate ultrathin oxide layer

We present computational results for strain effects on charge carrier confinement in Ge${}_{x}$Si${}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$ quantum dots (QDs) grown on an oxidized Si surface. The strain and free carrier probability density distributions are obtained using the continuum elasticity theory and the effective-mass approximation implemented by a finite-element modeling scheme. Using realistic parameters and conditions for hemisphere and pyramid QDs, it is pointed out that an uncapped hemisphere dot deposited on the Si surface with an intermediate ultrathin oxide layer offers advantageous electron-hole separation distances with respect to a square-based pyramid grown directly on Si. The enhanced sep…