Quantum dots (QD) have gained increasing interest in semiconductor physics as well as in optoelectronic device technology due to their special electrical and optical behavior. The generation of QDs has been attempted using different techniques. However, there was a breakthrough recently initiated by employing of self-ordering mechanisms during the epitaxial growth of lattice-mismatched semiconductor heterostructures, such as achieved in the Si/Ge and InGaAs systems ("Stranski-Krastanow" growth mode). Depending on the growth techniques applied (mainly MBE and MOCVD) the small islands differ in size, shape, chemical composition and lattice strain strongly influencing their optical behavior. The present paper mainly deals with the structural properties of such nanoclusters and their analysis by TEM techniques. Concerning the electrical and optical behavior of such quantum structures it is referred to review books, such as.
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