Formation and electron activation energy of self-assembled CdTe quantum wires grown on ZnTe buffer layers

Self-assembled CdTe quantum wires (QWRs) were grown on ZnTe buffer layers by using molecular-beam epitaxy. Atomic force microscopy images showed that preferentially oriented CdTe QWRs were formed on ZnTe buffer layers. The activation energy of the electrons confined in the CdTe QWRs, as obtained from the temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectra, was higher than that of electrons in CdTe/ZnTe quantum wells. These results indicate that self-assembled CdTe QWRs grown on ZnTe buffer layers hold promise for potential applications in optoelectric devices operating in the blue-green region of the spectrum. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.