Abstract: Methods of doping a semiconductor film are provided. The methods comprise epitaxially growing the III-V semiconductor film in the presence of a dopant, a surfactant capable of acting as an electron reservoir, and hydrogen, under conditions that promote the formation of a III-V semiconductor film doped with the p-type dopant. In some embodiments of the methods, the epitaxial growth of the doped III-V semiconductor film is initiated at a first hydrogen partial pressure which is increased to a second hydrogen partial pressure during the epitaxial growth process.

Abstract: A self-assembled semiconductor nanostructure includes a core and a shell, wherein one of the core or the shell is rich in a strained component and the other of the core or the shell is rich in an unstrained component, wherein the nanostructure is a quantum dot or a nanowire. A method includes growing a semiconductor alloy structure on a substrate using a growth mode that produces a semiconductor alloy structure having a self-assembled core and shell and allowing the structure to equilibrate such that one of the core or the shell is strained and the other is unstrained. Another method includes growing at least one semiconductor alloy nanostructures on a substrate, wherein the nanostructure comprises a strained component and an unstrained component, and controlling a compositional profile during said growing such that a transition between the strained component and an unstrained component is substantially continuous.

Abstract: Methods of doping a semiconductor film are provided. The methods comprise epitaxially growing the III-V semiconductor film in the presence of a dopant, a surfactant capable of acting as an electron reservoir, and hydrogen, under conditions that promote the formation of a III-V semiconductor film doped with the p-type dopant. In some embodiments of the methods, the epitaxial growth of the doped III-V semiconductor film is initiated at a first hydrogen partial pressure which is increased to a second hydrogen partial pressure during the epitaxial growth process.

Abstract: The use of surfactants that do not themselves act as dopants and are isoelectronic with either the group III or group V host atoms during OMVPE growth significantly reduces the incorporation of background impurities such as carbon, oxygen, sulfur and/or silicon. For example, the use of the surfactants Sb or Bi significantly reduces the incorporation of background impurities such as carbon, oxygen, sulfur and/or silicon during the OMVPE growth of III/V semiconductor materials, for example GaAs, GaInP, and GaP layers. As a result, an effective method for controlling the incorporation of impurity atoms is adding a minute amount of surfactant during OMVPE growth.