Polarization anisotropy of electroluminescence in indium antimonide

Abstract

Mid-infrared electroluminescence spectra under impact ionization conditions in strong electric fields are studied experimentally in monocrystalline n-InSb. The emission band observed in electroluminescence spectra is associated with a radiative recombination of electrons and holes between the conduction and valence bands. Spectral measurements of the electroluminescence intensity for different light polarizations relative to the direction of the applied electric field reveal the polarization anisotropy of the electroluminescence intensity in InSb, which is caused by the anisotropy of the distribution function of nonequilibrium electrons as well as by the anisotropy of the angular dependence of the interband optical matrix element in momentum space.