Optical polarization characteristics ofm-oriented InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes with various indium compositions in single-quantum-well structure

Spontaneously polarized light emission from m-plane InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes was studied as a function of In composition in the InGaN single quantum-well layer. Emission wavelength was varied between 394 and 472 nm. A strong correlation was confirmed between optical polarization and In composition; the higher the In composition, the stronger the optical polarization. The photon-energy difference between the emission spectra associated with the two polarizations, ΔM, was evaluated as a function of current. ΔM exhibited a negative monotonic current dependence for the 394 nm emitting sample and the dependence was changed to positive monotonic as the wavelength became longer towards 472 nm. This change was tentatively attributed to the valence band mixing and the crystal momentum conservation that became relevant with the band filling. ΔM and optical polarization exhibited only a moderate correlation; the Fermi–Dirac function has been used to explain the weakened optical polarization under increased current injection.