Degree of polarization of luminescence from GaAs and InP as a function of strain: a theoretical investigation

• Published in: Applied optics (2004) 2020-06, Vol.59 (18), p.5506
• Main Authors: Cassidy, Daniel T., Landesman, Jean-Pierre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Deformation; Isotropic material; Luminescence; Physics; Polarization; Shear strain; Strain analysis; Tensors
• ISSN: 1559-128X; 2155-3165
• DOI: 10.1364/AO.394624

Experimentally, it is known that the degree of polarization (DOP) of luminescence is a sensitive function of strain in III–V materials. It has been assumed that DOP = − K e ( e 1 − e 2 ) and that the rotated degree of polarization = 2 K e e 6 , where K e is a positive calibration constant, e 1 and e 2 are the normal components of strain along perpendicular “1” and “2” directions, and e 6 = e 12 is the tensor shear strain. K e has been measured experimentally for GaAs and InP. In this paper, the results of a simple analytic determination of expressions for DOP as a function of strain are presented. Given the wide ranges reported for the strain deformation potentials b and d , it is not possible to give definitive and meaningful numerical values for expressions for DOP and K e . However, the sensitivity of DOP to strain suggests that it might be possible to design simple experiments to provide accurate values for the deformation potentials. The b and d deformation potentials might not be independent. For the results presented here and in the limit of isotropic material, an isotropic result for the DOP is found if d = 3 b .