The polarization dependence of the optical transition is studied as a function of the aspect ratio of the rectangular cross section of a quantum wire. The effective-mass approximation is used to treat the valence- and conduction-band states. Calculated results lead to a simple physical understanding of luminescence polarization anisotropy.

• Received 8 July 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.45.9443