Strained GaxIn1−xP multiple quantum wire light-emitting diodes: A luminescence polarization study

Abstract

Strongly polarized photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectra have been obtained from strained GaxIn1−xP quantum wire heterostructures grown on (100) oriented, on-axis GaAs substrates by an in situ epitaxial technique. The phenomenon of strain-induced lateral layer ordering has been exploited in order to create lateral superlattices of GaxIn1−xP compositionally modulated in the [110] direction with a modulation period of 96 Å. The previous and subsequent growth of lattice-matched Ga0.51In0.49P ternary alloy epilayers results in the formation of compressively strained quantum wires. Transmission electron microscopy shows the wire cross sections to be ∼48×200 Å. These structures exhibit 77 K photoluminescence spectra at 1.79 eV that are strongly (96%) polarized parallel to the wires due to strain resulting from the lateral compositional modulation. The intensity of this emission depends critically on the polarization of the incident excitation. Electroluminescence spectra from multiple quantum wire light-emitting diodes display anisotropic polarization as well. The energies and optical anisotropies of these luminescence bands are consistent with a simple theoretical analysis.