PHOTOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF P-GAAS N-GE STRUCTURES IN LINEARLY POLARIZED-LIGHT/

Epitaxial films of gallium arsenide have been grown on germanium subst rates by vapor-phase epitaxy. The photoelectric properties of p-GaAs/n -Ge heterostructures were studied in unpolarized and linearly polarize d light. When linearly polarized light is incident obliquely on the wo rking surface of the GaAs, an induced photopleochroism arises. The mag nitude of this photopleochroism remains constant over the interval 0.8 -1.5 eV and can be controlled by varying the angle of incidence. The c urves of the quantum efficiency of the photoconversion as a function o f the angle of incidence found in the case in which the plane of incid ence coincides with the polarization plane indicate that the epitaxial GaAs films on the Ge substrates have a high structural quality. It is concluded from the polarization properties found here that GaAs/Ge he terostructures hold promise for applications in photoconverters for li nearly polarized light. (C) 1994 American Institute of Physics.