Positively charged defects associated with self-assembled quantum dot formation

Capacitance measurements are used to investigate a series of single-barrier n-i-n GaAs/AlAs/GaAs heterostructures incorporating a layer of self-assembled InAs quantum dots into the AlAs barrier. They reveal a low-density, excess positive charge in the AlAs barrier which we attribute to defects associated with quantum dot formation. The quantity of positive charge is proportional to the amount of AlAs deposited on top of the dots.