Near band edge polarization dependence as a probe of structural symmetry in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum dot structures

In order to obtain the polarization dependence of optical transitions in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum dot structures, a three-dimensional Schrödinger equation describing the heavy hole–light hole mixing via a k⋅p formalism is solved. The polarization dependence is investigated as a function of the symmetry of the quantum dot, indicating that the polarization dependence is very sensitive to the symmetry of the confining structure. We also examine how the optical properties of the quantum dot evolve towards those of a quantum wire by allowing one axis of the dot to increase.