III-V semiconductor nanowires for optoelectronic device applications

III-V semiconductor nanowires are promising candidates for optoelectronic device applications due to their unique one dimensional geometry. High quantum efficiency, defined as QE=τnr/(τnr+τr), where τnr is the non-radiative lifetime and τr is the radiative lifetime of minority carriers in the nanowires is necessary for device applications. Due to the large surface area to volume ratio in the nanowires, non-radiative recombination associated with surface states often results in low quantum efficiency. The quantum efficiency of the nanowires can be increased either by increasing τnr or by reducing τr. We present experimental results on these two different approaches to increase the quantum efficiency of semiconductor nanowires. © 2013 IEEE