Optical anisotropy of non-common-atom quantum wells and dots: effects of interface symmetry reduction

We report on the investigations of in-plane optical anisotropy in non-common-atom heterostructures: ZnSe/BeTe perfect quantum wells (QWs) and CdSe/BeTe rough QWs and quantum dots. A noticeable linear polarization of photoluminescence (PL) with respect to the in-plane [1–10] and [110] crystal axes was observed in the ZnSe/BeTe QWs with equivalent ZnTe-type interfaces due to the reduction of QW symmetry, induced by unintentional formation of BeSe chemical bonds at a “BeTe-ZnSe” interface. The BeSe bond concentration and, hence, the polarization degree depend on the Te/Be flux ratio during molecular beam epitaxy growth of the samples. Strongly linearly polarized (up to 80%) PL was detected in the CdSe/BeTe structures, evidencing QW-like flat symmetry of the emitting sites of carrier localization.