Nonequilibrium Interface Dynamics:
Hierarchical Modeling and Multiscale Simulation of Materials Interfaces

CSIC Building (#406), Seminar Room 4122.
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The Evolution and Self Assembly of Quantum Dots on Surfaces

Dr. Peter Voorhees

Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University

Abstract:   A major difficulty in realizing the promise of electronic devices using quantum dots is to control the size, shape and location of these nanostructures on surfaces. We find that in systems wherein the surface of a film is unstable to the formation of faceting and in which the film wets the substrate, an instability occurs that leads to a well ordered, nearly monodisperse array of dots. The dependence of the island size and location on the nature of the wetting potential and the degree of instability to faceting will be discussed. We have determined the shape of islands on surfaces wherein the film makes a nonzero contact angle with the substrate. We find a variety of island shapes for a given set of parameters. The stability of these shapes will be discussed, and a comparison to the well-studied problem of island shapes in systems in which the film completely wets the substrate will be given.