Geometrical impact on the optical polarization of droplet epitaxial quantum dots

We report on experimental and theoretical investigations of the optical anisotropy of GaAs/AlGaAs quantum dots grown by droplet epitaxy. With in situ annealing in the growth, the shape of quantum dots is systematically controlled from a tall and laterally symmetric shape to a flat and laterally elongated one. Photoluminescence spectroscopy demonstrates an uncommon observation: the more elongated the quantum dots, the lower the degree of linear polarization. Theoretical analysis based on a four-band k•p theory reveals a substantial impact of vertical confinement on the valence heavy-hole and light-hole mixing, which leads to the enhancement of polarization anisotropy for taller quantum dots. The influence of Coulomb interactions on polarization anisotropy is studied by using the partial configuration interaction method, and is shown to reduce the polarization anisotropy through the mixing of single-particle configurations with different symmetries.