Highly uniform (Cd, Mn, Zn)Se/(Zn, Mn)Se quantum dot array formation by means of thermal treatments

Thermal treatments of (Cd,Mn,Zn)Se/(Zn,Mn)Se multiquantum well heterostructures inside the electron microscope resulted in the formation of three-dimensional CdSe based quantum dots (QDs). The array uniformity of the QDs was investigated by means of the Z-contrast imaging technique in the scanning transmission electron microscope and found to be superior to that of Stranski–Krastanow grown CdSe based QDs. The outcome of the heating experiment demonstrated that thermal treatments might be considered as one of the ways in obtaining highly ordered QD arrays. Possible mechanisms of the QD formation by means of thermal treatments are also discussed.