Light emission in polar group-III nitride quantum wells optically pumped at densities significantly below the lasing threshold is usually interpreted in terms of excitons. Such excitons are characterized by a non-zero dipole moment and long radiative lifetimes, because their constituent electron and hole are spatially separated by the built-in electric field in the growth direction. These features result in many interesting properties of dipolar excitons: they can propagate over large distances and thus cool down to the lattice temperature before recombination, offering the possibility for studies of cold and dense gas of interacting bosons. In this context, two important issues must be addressed: the strength of the exciton-exciton interaction, and the excitonic Mott transition, that sets the maximum density of excitons. Combining spatially and time-resolved photoluminescence in different excitation geometries, we provide a set of experimental data showing that the emission linewidth is proportional to the emission energy in a wide range of carrier densities and temperatures. The proportionality coefficient is almost temperature independent. These results are compared to the existing data in various material systems and discussed in terms of the Mott transition and its criteria, exciton-exciton interaction and its possible contribution to the linewidth, as well as the role of disorder in the density-dependent emission spectra.

Light emission in polar group-III nitride quantum wells (QWs) optically pumped at densities significantly below the lasing threshold is usually interpreted in terms of excitons. Whereas thin GaN QWs with fast radiative lifetimes are employed in light-emitting devices, the excitons in thick QWs (typ. 7nm) are characterized by a non-zero dipole moment and long radiative lifetimes, due to the built-in electric field. These features result in many interesting properties of dipolar excitons: they can propagate over large distances and thus cool down to the lattice temperature before recombination, offering the possibility for studies of cold and dense gas of interacting bosons. In this context, two important issues must be addressed: the strength of the exciton-exciton interaction, and the excitonic Mott transition, that sets the maximum density of excitons. Combining spatially and time-resolved photoluminescence in different excitation geometries, we provide a set of experimental data showing that the emission linewidth is proportional to the emission energy in a wide range of carrier densities and temperatures. The proportionality coefficient is almost temperature independent. These results are compared to the existing data in various material systems and discussed in terms of the Mott transition and its criteria, exciton-exciton interaction and its possible contribution to the linewidth, as well as the role of disorder in the density-dependent emission spectra.

Light emission in polar group-III nitride quantum wells (QWs) optically pumped at densities significantly below the lasing threshold is usually interpreted in terms of excitons. Whereas thin GaN QWs with fast radiative lifetimes are employed in light-emitting devices, the excitons in thick QWs (typ. 7nm) are characterized by a non-zero dipole moment and long radiative lifetimes, due to the built-in electric field. These features result in many interesting properties of dipolar excitons: they can propagate over large distances and thus cool down to the lattice temperature before recombination, offering the possibility for studies of cold and dense gas of interacting bosons. In this context, two important issues must be addressed: the strength of the exciton-exciton interaction, and the excitonic Mott transition, that sets the maximum density of excitons. Combining spatially and time-resolved photoluminescence in different excitation geometries, we provide a set of experimental data showing that the emission linewidth is proportional to the emission energy in a wide range of carrier densities and temperatures. The proportionality coefficient is almost temperature independent. These results are compared to the existing data in various material systems and discussed in terms of the Mott transition and its criteria, exciton-exciton interaction and its possible contribution to the linewidth, as well as the role of disorder in the density-dependent emission spectra.

III-nitride-on-silicon L3 and H2 photonic crystal cavities with resonances down to 315 nm and quality factors up to 1085 at 337 nm have been demonstrated. The reduction of quality factor (Q) with decreasing wavelength is investigated. Besides the QW absorption below 340 nm a noteworthy contribution is attributed to the residual absorption present in thin AlN layers grown on silicon, as measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry. This residual absorption ultimately limits the Q factor to around 250 at 300 nm when no active layer is present.

The spontaneous emergence of vector vortex beams with non-uniform polarization distribution is reported in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser with frequency-selective feedback. Anti-vortices with a hyperbolic polarization structure and radially polarized vortices are demonstrated. They exist close to and partially coexist with vortices with uniform and non-uniform polarization distributions characterized by four domains of pairwise orthogonal polarization. These vector vortices are argued to have soliton-like properties. Independently of this interpretation, the novel way of generating these nontrivial structures in a remarkably simple VCSEL system is regarded to be interesting and potentially beneficial for other experiments utilizing non-uniform polarization structures.

The objective of this paper is to summarize the results obtained for the state of polarization in the emission of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser with frequency-selective feedback added. We start our research with the single soliton, this situation presents two perpendicular main orientations, connected by a hysteresis loop. In addition, we also find the formation of a ring shaped intensity distribution, the vortex state, that shows two homogeneous states of polarization with very close values to those find in the soliton. For both cases above, the study shows the spatially resolved value of the orientation angle. It's important to remark too the appearance of a non negligible amount of circular light that gives vectorial character to all the different emissions investigated.