Analysis of thermal emission processes of electrons from arrays of InAs quantum dots in the space charge region of GaAs matrix

We thoroughly analyze admittance spectroscopy data on the temperature dependence of the rate of electron emission from the ground state of InAs quantum dots in the space-charge layer of a Schottky barrier on an $n$-GaAs matrix. The experimental results are described using a one-dimensional model of thermally activated tunneling with the involvement of virtual states. The shape of the potential barrier to be overcome by emitted electrons is selected by introducing the effective concentration of shallow donors such that the electron binding energies in the quantum dots were similar to those determined from the measured capacitance-voltage characteristics of the investigated structures. The obtained electron-capture cross sections increase with the ground-state binding energy (quantum dot size). The capture cross-section values for InAs quantum dots with average lateral sizes of 9 and 20 nm lie in the ranges 1 $\times$ 10$^{-14}$ – 2 $\times$ 10$^{-13}$ and 4 $\times$ 10$^{-12}$ – 2 $\times$ 10$^{-11}$ cm$^2$.