1 Introduction

Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies (hereafter BCDGs) have attracted attention because they present extreme properties, such as low metallicities, high star formation rates, and an apparent low dust content (Thuan et al. 1999). Their study helps understanding star formation processes in atypical environments. The discovery of I ZW 18 and SBS 0335-052 believed to be genuine young systems massively forming stars for the first time, has stimulated the search for other cases (I ZW 18: Kunth & Sagent 1986; SBS 0335-052: Thuan et al. 1997). The ultimate goal of this search is the characterization of zero-redshift analogs to high z primeval galaxies. However, early studies in the near infrared conducted by Thuan (1983) and Hunter & Gallagher (1985), showed that an evolved population seemed to be present in the BCDGs they observed. The post-starburst phase of BCDGs is poorly known, but they are believed to be the intermediate phase between the dwarf irregulars (dIs) and the dwarf spheroidals (dEs) (Papaderos et al. 1996; Telles 1996). However, recent observations that a large fraction of BCDGs have dominant r^1/4 brightness distribution profiles (Doublier et al. 1997, 1999, hereafter PapersI and II), whereas all known dIs and almost all observed dEs have dominant exponential light profiles. The r^1/4 profile suggests that the system is, at least partly, dynamically relaxed, and it is most unlikely that an r^1/4 BCDG will evolve into an exponential dwarf spheroidal galaxy. Moreover, the observed sub-structures in BCDGs are associated with the starburst itself, and the evolved stages of these structures, i.e. once the star formation has faded away, are yet to be determined. In that respect, Ferguson & Binggeli (1994) made a distinction between "classical compact ellipticals'' which have King/de Vaucouleurs profiles, and dEs and dIs which have more of an exponential profile. However, observations in the Virgo cluster show that most dEs are neither exactly exponential nor pure r^1/4 structures (Jerjen & Binggeli 1997).

   

Table 1: Summary of the near infrared observations

Name	B mag.	Class.(*)	Observing	total exposure (min)	S/N
			date	(J, H, $K_{\rm s}$)	at 22.5 mag arcsec-2
Haro 14	13.92	d0	Dec. 95	18, 13, 6	2
Mk 996	15.35	e0	Dec. 95	20, 13, 27	2
Mk 600	15.47	e0	Dec. 95	47, 12, 34	2
Fairall 301	14.15	d0	Jan. 97	33, 25, 39	3
Tol 0610-387	16.02	cd	Dec. 95	27, 28, 80	2.5
Tol 0645-376	16.84	e0	Jan. 97	33, 25, 25	2.5
Tol 0954-293	15.76	cd	Jan. 97	25, 25, 30	2.5
Tol 0957-279	14.08	ce	Dec. 95	13, 10, 11	1.5
Tol 3	14.18	ce	Dec. 95	20, 10, 23	2
UM 465	14.37	d0	Jan. 97	33, 25, 30	3
UM 465 B	16.77	d0	Jan. 97	33, 25, 30	2.5
UM 461	16.18	cd	Jan. 97	32, 19, 25	2

(*): Photometric classification refers to Doublier et al. (1997).

The optical emission of the BCDGs is largely dominated by the young stars from the starburst, and this high brightness component masks the host galaxy structure in the central region. Therefore, no quantitative information on the underlying stellar population can be obtained via imaging in the optical. The stars that will remain after the starburst fades, are intermediate and low mass stars from the present star formation event, and the evolved stars from previous bursts. They dominate the near infrared light, thus are best studied via photometric observation in J, Hand K.

In this paper, we present the results of the surface photometry, in J, H and $K_{\rm s}$, of 12 BCDGs. The galaxies were selected from our southern sample for which B and R surface photometry was presented in PaperII.