Abstract
From the analysis of exciton splittings and shifts in the 2K absorption spectra of central GaAs layers in molecular‐beam‐grown AlxGa1−xAs‐GaAs‐AlxGa1−xAs structures, the magnitude and sign of the layer stress is deduced. Annealing at 850 °C has little influence on the layer stress although large changes in photoluminescence efficiency are observed. Comparisons with similar LPE‐grown structures and MBE‐grown double‐heterostructure lasers are made.