Anisotropic photonic properties of III–V nanowires in the zinc-blende and wurtzite phase

Abstract

Some critical aspects of the anisotropic absorption and emission properties of quasi one-dimensional structures are reviewed in the context of III–V compound semiconductor nanowires. The unique optical and electronic properties of III–V nanowires stem from the combination of dielectric effects due to their large aspect ratio, and their specific crystallographic structure which can differ significantly from the bulk case. The growth conditions leading to single-crystal nanowires with either zinc blende or wurtzite phase are first presented. Dipole selection rules for interband transitions in common III–V compounds are then summarized for the two different phases, and corroborated by ab initio Density Functional Theory calculations of the oscillator strength. The optical anisotropy is discussed considering both the effect of refractive index mismatch between the nanowire and its surroundings and the polarization of the emitting dipoles set by the nanowire crystallographic structure and orientation. Finite Difference Time Domain simulations are finally employed to illustrate the influence of the emitting dipole orientation and the nanowire diameter on the distribution of radiation in the far-field. The importance of the correlation between structural and optoelectronic properties is highlighted in view of potential applications in future nanowire photonics.