Columnar Quantum Dashes for polarization insensitive semiconductor optical amplifiers

InAs Columnar Quantum Dash (CQDash) structures on (100) InP for polarization insensitive semiconductor optical amplifiers have been realized. Photoluminescence and electroluminescence measurements confirm a strong relationship between the polarization degree of the emission and the orientation of the CQDashes. The polarization properties of the CQDash emission could thus be changed from predominantly transverse electric to transverse magnetic by adjusting the dash orientation relative to the light propagation axis.