Measurement of Stress in III-V Semiconductors using the Degree of Polarization of Luminescence

Abstract

<p>The techniques of polarization-resolved electroluminescence and photoluminescence have been demonstrated to be accurate methods of measuring mechanical stress in luminescent semiconductors. These techniques have been applied to measure the stresses in AlGaAs/GaAs and InGaAsP/InP superluminescent diodes and diode lasers and bulk GaAs and InP crystals. Stresses due to various diode laser manufacturing processes have been measured. Individual dislocations in bulk crystals and strained epitaxial layers have been detected and characterized by their stress patterns.</p>