The InAs/GaAs(001) Quantum Dots Transition: Advances on Understanding -- Self-assembly of InAs Quantum Dot Structures on Cleaved Facets -- InAs/GaAs Quantum Dots with Multimodal Size Distribution -- Carrier Transfer in the Arrays of Coupled Quantum Dots -- Dynamics of Carrier Transfer into In(Ga)As Self-assembled Quantum Dots -- Spin Phenomena in Self-assembled Quantum Dots -- Excitons and Spins in Quantum Dots Coupled to a Continuum of States -- Quantum Coupling in Quantum Dot Molecules -- Studies of Semiconductor Quantum Dots for Quantum Information Processing -- Stress Relaxation Phenomena in Buried Quantum Dots -- Capacitance-Voltage Spectroscopy of InAs Quantum Dots -- In(Ga)As/GaAs Quantum Dots Grown by MOCVD for Opto-electronic Device Applications -- Area-selective and Site-controlled InAs Quantum-dot Growth Techniques for Photonic Crystal-based Ultra-small Integrated Circuit -- Detailed Analysis of the Shape-dependent Deformation Field in 3D Ge Islands -- Growth and Characterization of III-Nitride Quantum Dots and their Application to Emitters.