Geometrical shape dependent polarization anisotropy in electroluminescence from InGaAs/InP quantum wires

Abstract
The polarization properties of edge-emitted electroluminescence from InGaAs/InP quantum wires fabricated by reverse-mesa wet etching, electron-beam lithography, and overgrowth, are investigated. Strongly TE polarized electroluminescence from relatively wide wires approaches isotropy as the wires become narrower. The observed dependence on wire size is attributed to a transition from a two-dimensional to a one-dimensional system. The implication is that quantum wires could potentially be applied to polarization-controlled devices, such as polarization insensitive optical amplifiers.