A simple method for calculating strain distributions in quantum dot structures

A simple method is presented for calculating the stress and strain distributions arising from an initially uniformly strained quantum dot of arbitrary shape buried in an infinite isotropic medium. The method involves the evaluation of a surface integral over the boundary of the quantum dot and is therefore considerably more straightforward to implement than alternative stress evaluation techniques. The technique is ideally suited to calculating strain distributions within disordered arrays of pyramidal quantum dots prepared by Stranski-Krastanow growth. The strain distribution for a cuboidal quantum dot is presented and compared to that of a rectangular quantum wire. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.