Self-organization of quantum dots in epitaxially strained solid films.

A nonlinear evolution equation for surface-diffusion-driven Asaro-Tiller-Grinfeld instability of an epitaxially strained thin solid film on a solid substrate is derived in the case where the film wets the substrate. It is found that the presence of a weak wetting interaction between the film and the substrate can substantially retard the instability and modify its spectrum in such a way that the formation of spatially regular arrays of islands or pits on the film surface becomes possible. It is shown that the self-organization dynamics is significantly affected by the presence of the Goldstone mode associated with the conservation of mass.