Formation of multiple nanoscale twin boundaries that emit intense light in indirect-gap AlGaAs epilayers

Parallel twin boundaries arranged at similar intervals of nanometer length, that emitted an intense monochromatic light polarized parallel to the boundaries, were self-organized in an indirect-gap AlGaAs epilayer; the epilayer was grown on a rough As-deficient surface of an AlGaAs(0 0 1) substrate with any lattice constant, by conventional metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition. Most boundaries were of Σ3-type on {111}B, and they extended from the interface between the epilayer and the substrate. There existed no compositional fluctuation around the boundaries. The formation mechanism was discussed.