Lattice mismatch strain reduction

Strain Relaxation in Quantum Wires and Etched Quantum Dots In the fabrication of etched quantum wires and quantum dots, the strain caused by lattice mismatch in MBE-grown layers is partially reduced by the etching process. At the lateral surfaces of these structures, a possibility exists for the strained lattice to relax. Therefore, the amount of the total relaxation depends on the ratio of the relaxed wire edges to the total volume of the wire. Thus, for a reduction of the wire dimensions, like the reduction of the wire width or the wire length, a reduction of the total amount of the strain is possible. The wire edges can relax, whereas the wire center remains strained. 

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